--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm an independent. I'm a centrist. A new…" description: "\"I'm an independent. I'm a centrist. A new generation is arriving that has grown up with a multiplicity of choice in every aspect of their lives, and ye..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a98/john-avlon-23372_arriving_i-m-an-independent-i-m-a-centrist-a-new_2942868.jpg" --- # I'm an independent. I'm a centrist. A new generation is… ![“I'm an independent. I'm a centrist. A new generation is arriving that has grown up with a multiplicity of choice in every aspect of their lives, and yet politics is the last place that they are told that they should be satisfied with a choice between brand A and brand B. It doesn't fit the way…” quote by John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a98/john-avlon-23372_arriving_i-m-an-independent-i-m-a-centrist-a-new_2942868.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a98/john-avlon-23372_arriving_i-m-an-independent-i-m-a-centrist-a-new_2942868.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a98/john-avlon-23372_arriving_i-m-an-independent-i-m-a-centrist-a-new_2942868.jpg) > “I'm an independent. I'm a centrist. A new generation is arriving that has grown up with a multiplicity of choice in every aspect of their lives, and yet politics is the last place that they are told that they should be satisfied with a choice between brand A and brand B. It doesn't fit the way they think. It doesn't fit the way they live.” [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Independent and centrist perspectives clash with a two‑party system that limits true choice for a generation raised on diverse options. **In simple terms:** Politics forces a false binary choice. Key Takeaway Seek beyond party lines. Themes politics independence choice Mood critical hopeful Type opinion analytical When to use this quote - voting decisions - civic engagement - policy discussion - media analysis Key Concepts pluralism centrist ideology political disengagement Questions to Reflect On - What reforms could make politics reflect broader choices? - How can independents influence mainstream discourse? A Different Perspective Party systems can still represent varied interests if reformed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arriving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arriving/) [Aspect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aspect/) [Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brands/) [Centrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/centrist/) [Centrist New](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/centrist-new-4395767/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Fit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fit/) [Generations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generations/) [Independent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independent/) [Independent Centrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independent-centrist-4395766/) [Last place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/last-place/) [Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasts/) [Marketing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marketing/) [Multiplicity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/multiplicity/) [New generation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-generation/) [Politics Place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics-place-369842/) [Satisfied](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/satisfied/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [Partisan politics has no place in the classroom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-cole/partisan-politics-has-no-place-in-the-classroom/) [Juan Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-cole/) > [Politics has to be a place where women want to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-mcvey/politics-has-to-be-a-place-where-women-want-to-go/) [Esther McVey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-mcvey/) > [I really rebel against this idea that politics has to be a place full of ego and where you're constantly focused on scoring hits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacinda-ardern/i-really-rebel-against-this-idea-that-politics-has-to-be-a-place-full/) [Jacinda Ardern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacinda-ardern/) > [What drew me to politics in the first place was the fact that I wanted to have a place to take a stand and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bon-jovi/what-drew-me-to-politics-in-the-first-place-was-the-fact-that-i/) [Jon Bon Jovi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bon-jovi/) > [If you don't like being attacked for your point of view, you shouldn't be in politics in the first place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-breitbart/if-you-don-t-like-being-attacked-for-your-point-of-view-you-shouldn-t/) [Andrew Breitbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-breitbart/) > [I felt that politics was one place where I could possibly have a career in arguing, debating, and getting to write papers. I almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jovan-adepo/i-felt-that-politics-was-one-place-where-i-could-possibly-have-a/) [Jovan Adepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jovan-adepo/) > [We're living in a world that's divided into two economies: the economy of the 1%, and the economy of the bottom 99%. I guess…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hudson/we-re-living-in-a-world-that-s-divided-into-two-economies-the-economy/) [Michael Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hudson/) > [How is it that labels like 'centrist' and 'moderate,' which common sense tells us should reflect the views of a majority of Americans, have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehdi-hasan/how-is-it-that-labels-like-centrist-and-moderate-which-common-sense/) [Mehdi Hasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehdi-hasan/) > [Within the paradigm of Democratic politics, even though people probably think I'm a centrist, I'm more a liberal, except for abortion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/within-the-paradigm-of-democratic-politics-even-though-people/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [My lesson from history is that if there is a strong moderate centrist party which can lead the country, there is no room for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-orban/my-lesson-from-history-is-that-if-there-is-a-strong-moderate-centrist/) [Viktor Orban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-orban/) > [Only in Washington can the pursuit of a conservative agenda, with centrist policies, be depicted as liberal reform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-melber/only-in-washington-can-the-pursuit-of-a-conservative-agenda-with/) [Ari Melber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-melber/) > [What I want to try to do is unify the two wings of the Democratic Party. What's considered the more progressive wing of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-i-want-to-try-to-do-is-unify-the-two-wings-of-the-democratic/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I'm a true centrist: my beliefs put me in the middle... You know what happens to people who drive in the middle of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/i-m-a-true-centrist-my-beliefs-put-me-in-the-middle-you-know-what/) [Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/) > [Obama behaves like a centrist who leans tentatively left on certain social programs but boldly right on military force and civil liberties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-k-shipler/obama-behaves-like-a-centrist-who-leans-tentatively-left-on-certain/) [David K. Shipler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-k-shipler/) > [I am not a centrist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-abzug/i-am-not-a-centrist/) [Bella Abzug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-abzug/) ## More by John Avlon > [What's different now is that while political leaders used to give talking points to talk radio, now talk-radio hosts are giving talking points to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/what-s-different-now-is-that-while-political-leaders-used-to-give/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [First, I think more Americans need to declare their independence from partisan politics on both sides. The more that Americans declare their independence, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/first-i-think-more-americans-need-to-declare-their-independence-from/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [The far-right and far-left can be equally insane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/the-far-right-and-far-left-can-be-equally-insane/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [We cannot hope to change human nature. There will always be cranks and conspiracy theorists among us. But we can try to improve things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/we-cannot-hope-to-change-human-nature-there-will-always-be-cranks-and/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [If you only take offense when the president of your party is compared to Hitler, then you're part of the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/if-you-only-take-offense-when-the-president-of-your-party-is-compared/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [Politics follows the lines of physics: every action creates an equal and opposite reaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/politics-follows-the-lines-of-physics-every-action-creates-an-equal/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [“Madison’s response is famously expressed in Federalist 10, “The Utility of the Union as a Safeguard against Domestic Faction and Insurrection”—arguing that tyranny of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/madison-s-response-is-famously-expressed-in-federalist-10-the-utility/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [Right now, politics follows the rules of talk radio - using conflict, tension, fear, and resentment to find new recruits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/right-now-politics-follows-the-rules-of-talk-radio-using-conflict/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [Demagogues always do well in economic downturns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/demagogues-always-do-well-in-economic-downturns/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [But in his Farewell Address, George Washington made it clear that he perceived no greater threat to the American experiment than a partisan demagogue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/but-in-his-farewell-address-george-washington-made-it-clear-that-he/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [Politics is history in the present tense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/politics-is-history-in-the-present-tense/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [When people tap into this politics of resentment, it usually ends ugly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/when-people-tap-into-this-politics-of-resentment-it-usually-ends-ugly/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [What might be good for ratings can be bad for the country. The hard-core partisans are self-segregating themselves into separate political realities. But the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/what-might-be-good-for-ratings-can-be-bad-for-the-country-the-hard/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [One tell-tale sign of a Wingnut: they always confuse partisanship with patriotism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/one-tell-tale-sign-of-a-wingnut-they-always-confuse-partisanship-with/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [A wingnut is someone on the far-right wing or far-left wing of the political spectrum - the professional partisans, the unhinged activists and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/a-wingnut-is-someone-on-the-far-right-wing-or-far-left-wing-of-the/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) [Explore all 26 John Avlon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) ## More Arriving quotes > [Don´t be unnecessarily burdened by the past. Go on closing the chapters that you have read; there is no need to go back again…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/don-t-be-unnecessarily-burdened-by-the-past-go-on-closing-the/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [With all due respect to UPS - it's a fine company - nobody cares about logistics. They care about that package arriving at their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-luntz/with-all-due-respect-to-ups-it-s-a-fine-company-nobody-cares-about/) [Frank Luntz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-luntz/) > [Please... tell me who you are and what you want. And if you think those are simple questions, keep in mind that most people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/please-tell-me-who-you-are-and-what-you-want-and-if-you-think-those/) [Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/) > [We see men who have accumulated great fortunes, but we often recognize only their triumph, overlooking the temporary defeats which they had to surmount…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/we-see-men-who-have-accumulated-great-fortunes-but-we-often-recognize/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The time will come when, with elation you will greet yourself arriving at your own door, in your own mirror and each will smile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-walcott/the-time-will-come-when-with-elation-you-will-greet-yourself-arriving/) [Derek Walcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-walcott/) > [He must have driven this way countless times, and yet he had no memory of the scenery. He must have been so caught up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-joyce/he-must-have-driven-this-way-countless-times-and-yet-he-had-no-memory/) [Rachel Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-joyce/) > [When people know the desired destination, they’re free to improvise, as needed, in arriving there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-heath/when-people-know-the-desired-destination-they-re-free-to-improvise-as/) [Chip Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-heath/) > [It's not a question of arriving and putting in a whole new administration, but instead, arriving and "compacting" things as much as possible, reducing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-slim/it-s-not-a-question-of-arriving-and-putting-in-a-whole-new/) [Carlos Slim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-slim/) > [Upon arriving, meeting their teachers and signing up for classes, these students began to realize that their attendance at Delaware State University was not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-n-castle/upon-arriving-meeting-their-teachers-and-signing-up-for-classes-these/) [Michael N. Castle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-n-castle/) > [If you travel as much as I do - 165,000 miles last year - you exist nowhere. You're always between heaven and earth, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-houston/if-you-travel-as-much-as-i-do-165-000-miles-last-year-you-exist/) [Jean Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-houston/) > [It is the immigrant hordes who keep this country alive, the waves of them arriving year after year… Who believes in America more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow/it-is-the-immigrant-hordes-who-keep-this-country-alive-the-waves-of/) [E. L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow/) > [“I was so sure that I knew what they needed and what I wanted to sell them that I never stopped long enough to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murray/i-was-so-sure-that-i-knew-what-they-needed-and-what-i-wanted-to-sell/) [Chris Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murray/) > [You can be creative only when there is abandonment-which means, really, there is no sense of compulsion, no fear of not being, of not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/you-can-be-creative-only-when-there-is-abandonment-which-means-really/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [There are days when I don't want to go to the gym or find myself not super motivated upon arriving. I would visualize myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-smith/there-are-days-when-i-don-t-want-to-go-to-the-gym-or-find-myself-not/) [Kim Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-smith/) > [I left Montana in Spring of 1866, for Utah, arriving at Salt Lake city during the summer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calamity-jane/i-left-montana-in-spring-of-1866-for-utah-arriving-at-salt-lake-city/) [Calamity Jane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calamity-jane/) [Browse all 262 Arriving quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arriving/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm an independent. I'm a centrist. A new generation is arriving that has grown up with a multiplicity of choice in every aspect of their lives, and yet politics is the last place that they are told that they should be satisfied with a choice between brand A and brand B. It doesn't fit the way they think. 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