--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We live in an extraordinary time, in…" description: "\"We live in an extraordinary time, in which one still has the ability to mold opinion. Also, it's up for grabs. Perceptions are up for grabs in a way th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85c/jon-lee-anderson-28056_ability_we-live-in-an-extraordinary-time-in-whic_1116529.jpg" --- # We live in an extraordinary time, in which one still has… ![“We live in an extraordinary time, in which one still has the ability to mold opinion. Also, it's up for grabs. Perceptions are up for grabs in a way that it hasn't been before, which makes it really interesting. Societies that have always defined other aspects of human experience, or histories…” quote by Jon Lee Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85c/jon-lee-anderson-28056_ability_we-live-in-an-extraordinary-time-in-whic_1116529.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85c/jon-lee-anderson-28056_ability_we-live-in-an-extraordinary-time-in-whic_1116529.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85c/jon-lee-anderson-28056_ability_we-live-in-an-extraordinary-time-in-whic_1116529.jpg) > “We live in an extraordinary time, in which one still has the ability to mold opinion. Also, it's up for grabs. Perceptions are up for grabs in a way that it hasn't been before, which makes it really interesting. Societies that have always defined other aspects of human experience, or histories, try to hold on to it and try to find ways to continue to be the ones who do the interpreting.” [Jon Lee Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lee-anderson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author notes that modern times give individuals unprecedented power to shape public opinion, but also highlight societies’ attempts to retain interpretive authority, making the landscape dynamic and contested. **In simple terms:** People can now shape opinions, yet old powers resist. Key Takeaway Use media wisely to influence responsibly. Themes media power society interpretation Mood critical empowering Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - political campaigning - social media strategy - public speaking - community organizing Key Concepts public discourse information control democratic engagement Questions to Reflect On - How can individuals discern authentic voices? - What responsibilities come with shaping opinion? A Different Perspective Established institutions may manipulate narratives to maintain control. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Extraordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extraordinary/) [Grabs Perceptions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grabs-perceptions-2999831/) [Human experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-experience/) [Interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting/) [Ones Interpreting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ones-interpreting-2999832/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Opinion Grabs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion-grabs-2999833/) [Perception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perception/) [Perceptions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perceptions/) [Perceptions Grabs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perceptions-grabs-2999830/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Really interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-interesting/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) ## Related quotes > [There may be little practical difference between a Ford Mondeo and a BMW three series, but in terms of perceptions of who you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-jacques/there-may-be-little-practical-difference-between-a-ford-mondeo-and-a/) [Martin Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-jacques/) > [I can neither change people's perceptions nor change my background, and nor would I wish to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-fox/i-can-neither-change-people-s-perceptions-nor-change-my-background/) [Freddie Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-fox/) > [We see the world, not as it is, but as we are -- or, as we are conditioned to see it. When we open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/we-see-the-world-not-as-it-is-but-as-we-are-or-as-we-are-conditioned/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [I want to try to help shift perceptions people may have of me as an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-walsh/i-want-to-try-to-help-shift-perceptions-people-may-have-of-me-as-an/) [Bradley Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-walsh/) > [The tendency of our perceptions is to emphasise increasingly the objective elements in an impression, unless we have some special reason, as artists have,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-tendency-of-our-perceptions-is-to-emphasise-increasingly-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [It's a well known thing that ordinary perceptions can have a strange aspect when one is travelling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-koch/it-s-a-well-known-thing-that-ordinary-perceptions-can-have-a-strange/) [Kenneth Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-koch/) > [“our perceptions of the external world are habitually clouded by the verbal notions in terms of which we do our thinking. We are for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/our-perceptions-of-the-external-world-are-habitually-clouded-by-the/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [television. It has changed the way that we perceive the world out there, and though we know that - have indeed been bombarded with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-janeway/television-it-has-changed-the-way-that-we-perceive-the-world-out/) [Elizabeth Janeway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-janeway/) > [Whatever the circumstances of your life, the understanding of type can make your perceptions clearer, your judgements sounder, and your life closer to your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-briggs-myers/whatever-the-circumstances-of-your-life-the-understanding-of-type-can/) [Isabel Briggs Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-briggs-myers/) > [“But things change, people change - as do perceptions of people, and now I answer in a language that I hope my teenage self…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-harris/but-things-change-people-change-as-do-perceptions-of-people-and-now-i/) [Ali Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-harris/) > [We are taught not to perceive but to avoid direct perceptions of reality and to substitute instead this kind of one-dimensional view of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/we-are-taught-not-to-perceive-but-to-avoid-direct-perceptions-of/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I don't think there's anything unique about human intellience. All the nuerons in the brain that make up perceptions and emotions operate in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/i-don-t-think-there-s-anything-unique-about-human-intellience-all-the/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [“For one's children so often gave one's own perceptions a little thrust forwards.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/for-one-s-children-so-often-gave-one-s-own-perceptions-a-little/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [The first principle of cognitive therapy is that all your moods are created by your 'cognitions,' or thoughts. A cognition refers to the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/the-first-principle-of-cognitive-therapy-is-that-all-your-moods-are/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [The Porsche was just a vehicle to get to another place. I used it to change people's perceptions of me. I had grown up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-grazer/the-porsche-was-just-a-vehicle-to-get-to-another-place-i-used-it-to/) [Brian Grazer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-grazer/) ## More by Jon Lee Anderson > [How is it possible to live in world where people can rule millions of others? It's incredible! It's like we've gone back to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lee-anderson/how-is-it-possible-to-live-in-world-where-people-can-rule-millions-of/) [Jon Lee Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lee-anderson/) > [You need to be hyper-aware because it's your survival at stake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lee-anderson/you-need-to-be-hyper-aware-because-it-s-your-survival-at-stake/) [Jon Lee Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lee-anderson/) > [I think in a sense this is a house that was built on a bad foundation. 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It's on the vortex of civil war. It's difficult to know how America will bring it back from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lee-anderson/life-has-become-terribly-insecure-it-s-on-the-vortex-of-civil-war-it/) [Jon Lee Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lee-anderson/) > [War is just what we do. Yet, of course, the effects of it are repeatedly deeper, then deeper, then deeper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lee-anderson/war-is-just-what-we-do-yet-of-course-the-effects-of-it-are-repeatedly/) [Jon Lee Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lee-anderson/) > [The mercy caravans are through there the medicine refugees flowing out. It makes the United States look very bad here. And much more like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lee-anderson/the-mercy-caravans-are-through-there-the-medicine-refugees-flowing/) [Jon Lee Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lee-anderson/) > [The more I've traveled to war zones, the more I'm convinced that the impact and the effects are way beyond anything we can even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lee-anderson/the-more-i-ve-traveled-to-war-zones-the-more-i-m-convinced-that-the/) [Jon Lee Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lee-anderson/) [Explore all 20 Jon Lee Anderson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lee-anderson/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. 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Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. 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