--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There was a widespread indignation in the…" description: "\"There was a widespread indignation in the American media. They were saying, How can you make a movie during an election that's about politics? What are..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2d/john-sayles-12623_democracy_there-was-a-widespread-indignation-in-th_2482674.jpg" --- # There was a widespread indignation in the American media… ![“There was a widespread indignation in the American media. They were saying, How can you make a movie during an election that's about politics? What are you doing? Are you trying to influence people's lives? To which my response was, Well, I hope so.” quote by John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2d/john-sayles-12623_democracy_there-was-a-widespread-indignation-in-th_2482674.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2d/john-sayles-12623_democracy_there-was-a-widespread-indignation-in-th_2482674.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2d/john-sayles-12623_democracy_there-was-a-widespread-indignation-in-th_2482674.jpg) > “There was a widespread indignation in the American media. They were saying, How can you make a movie during an election that's about politics? What are you doing? Are you trying to influence people's lives? To which my response was, Well, I hope so.” [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acknowledging that art can influence politics and that influence may be intentional. **In simple terms:** Films can affect politics. Key Takeaway Embrace art’s power to provoke thought. Themes politics media artistic expression Mood thoughtful critical Type political media When to use this quote - election campaigns - film festivals - public debates Key Concepts cultural impact propaganda Questions to Reflect On - Should artists avoid political topics? - How does audience perception shape impact? A Different Perspective Influence can be misinterpreted as manipulation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Influencing people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influencing-people/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [You can almost hear people saying, 'We're going to make a movie about an election' and 'We're going to make a movie about a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/you-can-almost-hear-people-saying-we-re-going-to-make-a-movie-about/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [When I was 17, I had a small part in the movie 'Election,' which shot in Omaha, Nebraska. I was really naive at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-agosto/when-i-was-17-i-had-a-small-part-in-the-movie-election-which-shot-in/) [Nicholas D'Agosto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-agosto/) > [What the US does is the kind of thing I described in Italy in 1948. Case after case like that, not hacking or spreading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/what-the-us-does-is-the-kind-of-thing-i-described-in-italy-in-1948/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I was never one to feed into what the media was saying about us, especially out there in Portland because I was so in-touch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rasheed-wallace/i-was-never-one-to-feed-into-what-the-media-was-saying-about-us/) [Rasheed Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rasheed-wallace/) > [In the sense of media saying this about themselves, I drive to my kids' school in upstate New York through rural Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-matalin/in-the-sense-of-media-saying-this-about-themselves-i-drive-to-my-kids/) [Mary Matalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-matalin/) > [Putin is going to be considering the United States his number one enemy no matter who our president is - and no matter who's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/putin-is-going-to-be-considering-the-united-states-his-number-one/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [When people are talking - especially the media and everyone saying you're going to win it or reach the final, it can be tough.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiki-bertens/when-people-are-talking-especially-the-media-and-everyone-saying-you/) [Kiki Bertens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiki-bertens/) > [Why don't we see any questions from the press? Why don't we see anybody from the media saying, 'Mr. President, it's illegal, you started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/why-don-t-we-see-any-questions-from-the-press-why-don-t-we-see/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [After January 6, people ask me, 'Are you going to continue to be in politics? Are you doing to do this?' And I said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-kim/after-january-6-people-ask-me-are-you-going-to-continue-to-be-in/) [Andy Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-kim/) > [My job is to look at what politics is doing, not be a politician myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-tabucchi/my-job-is-to-look-at-what-politics-is-doing-not-be-a-politician-myself/) [Antonio Tabucchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-tabucchi/) > [I think the fact that we have been focussing on politics quite a lot and the tumult of politics rather than what we should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yitzhak-rabin/i-think-the-fact-that-we-have-been-focussing-on-politics-quite-a-lot/) [Yitzhak Rabin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yitzhak-rabin/) > [We are not doing celebrity, personality, abusive politics - we are doing ideas. This is about hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-corbyn/we-are-not-doing-celebrity-personality-abusive-politics-we-are-doing/) [Jeremy Corbyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-corbyn/) > [Self-preservation shouldn't be the first instinct in politics. It should be doing the right thing for the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-moulton/self-preservation-shouldn-t-be-the-first-instinct-in-politics-it/) [Seth Moulton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-moulton/) > [Those actors who took to politics are those who were not doing well in films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asrani/those-actors-who-took-to-politics-are-those-who-were-not-doing-well/) [Asrani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asrani/) > [I think you're a much happier person if you say 'Even if I get involved in politics, I'm only doing so in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/i-think-you-re-a-much-happier-person-if-you-say-even-if-i-get/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) ## More by John Sayles > [But compared to writing a novel, where you can be God, I did the Bay of Pigs invasion in six pages once, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/but-compared-to-writing-a-novel-where-you-can-be-god-i-did-the-bay-of/) [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) > [Not that I've always loved the movie when they finally come out, or if they ever come out-because many of them don't come out-but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/not-that-i-ve-always-loved-the-movie-when-they-finally-come-out-or-if/) [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) > [I think I got spoiled and that writing a short story and getting it published, or writing a novel and getting it published, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/i-think-i-got-spoiled-and-that-writing-a-short-story-and-getting-it/) [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) > [I never thought about being a writer as I grew up. A writer wasn't something I wanted to be. An outfielder was something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/i-never-thought-about-being-a-writer-as-i-grew-up-a-writer-wasn-t/) [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) > [My argument has always been that this is not an anti-Bush film, it's a pro-democracy film. And if Bush comes out on the wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/my-argument-has-always-been-that-this-is-not-an-anti-bush-film-it-s-a/) [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) > [To this day, I get rewrite offers where they say: 'We feel this script needs work with character, dialogue, plot and tone,' and when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/to-this-day-i-get-rewrite-offers-where-they-say-we-feel-this-script/) [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) > [And it was out in the theaters in two weeks. This is not, 'We're going to develop twenty-five and maybe one's going to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/and-it-was-out-in-the-theaters-in-two-weeks-this-is-not-we-re-going/) [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) > [The media in America has become so cowed and compromised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/the-media-in-america-has-become-so-cowed-and-compromised/) [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) > [You get to say, 'Here's my philosophical idea about what the costume should like,' and the costume designer comes and gives you choices and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/you-get-to-say-here-s-my-philosophical-idea-about-what-the-costume/) [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) > [“There is great literature about imprisonment, . . . about the foot soldier, . . . about the sea -- but not one great work about flying.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/there-is-great-literature-about-imprisonment-about-the-foot-soldier/) [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) > [Sometimes people can't afford to work for you, or they're not interested or available, and you hate to have written the whole movie with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/sometimes-people-can-t-afford-to-work-for-you-or-they-re-not/) [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) > [I certainly grew up seeing more movies and television than I read books, but when it came time to do the thing itself you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/i-certainly-grew-up-seeing-more-movies-and-television-than-i-read/) [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) > [When I read a story or see something play out in front of me I say, how come nobody's made a movie or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/when-i-read-a-story-or-see-something-play-out-in-front-of-me-i-say/) [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) > [For me the writing, when I'm going to direct it myself, is really just the first draft, and I don't change it very much;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/for-me-the-writing-when-i-m-going-to-direct-it-myself-is-really-just/) [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) > [I remember being out here at the Sunset Marquis, and whoever knocked on the door, I would take that picture that I was writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/i-remember-being-out-here-at-the-sunset-marquis-and-whoever-knocked/) [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) [Explore all 54 John Sayles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) ## More Democracy quotes > [Elections belong to the people. 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But right now, as of October 17, 2014, the Republican Senate candidates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-continetti/there-is-plenty-of-time-for-republicans-to-have-a-macaca-moment-but/) [Matthew Continetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-continetti/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. This \[presidential\] election is about every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-see-something-and-you-ll-be-so/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Failure to find a way to incorporate political Islam in democracy, however uncomfortable its ideology is for secular liberals, will mean we have given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crispin-blunt/failure-to-find-a-way-to-incorporate-political-islam-in-democracy/) [Crispin Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crispin-blunt/) > [In a democratic nation, power must be linked with responsibility, and obliged to defend and justify itself within the framework of the general good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/in-a-democratic-nation-power-must-be-linked-with-responsibility-and/) [Franklin D. 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