--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People do make considered choices about…" description: "\"People do make considered choices about whether they want to fight, and how, and they do so from disparate circumstances. But I think there are two imp..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d9/joshua-clover-34063_choices_people-do-make-considered-choices-about_3052884.jpg" --- # People do make considered choices about whether they want… ![“People do make considered choices about whether they want to fight, and how, and they do so from disparate circumstances. But I think there are two important frameworks in which those choices get made. One, their degree of immiseration. The greatest predictor of who will engage in criminal…” quote by Joshua Clover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d9/joshua-clover-34063_choices_people-do-make-considered-choices-about_3052884.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d9/joshua-clover-34063_choices_people-do-make-considered-choices-about_3052884.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d9/joshua-clover-34063_choices_people-do-make-considered-choices-about_3052884.jpg) > “People do make considered choices about whether they want to fight, and how, and they do so from disparate circumstances. But I think there are two important frameworks in which those choices get made. One, their degree of immiseration. The greatest predictor of who will engage in criminal activity is poverty, which tells us that the decisions people make about how unlawful they're willing to be are decisively based in their own experience of immiseration. The second framework is that when people choose to act, they inevitably act where they are.” [Joshua Clover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-clover/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choices about violence are shaped by poverty and the environment where people act, linking immiseration to criminal behavior. **In simple terms:** Poverty and surroundings drive violent choices. Key Takeaway Address inequality to reduce crime. Themes poverty environment violence choice crime social policy Mood concerned analytical Type sociological policy academic When to use this quote - urban policy - community outreach - rehabilitation programs - education initiatives Key Concepts structural inequality agency environmental determinism Questions to Reflect On - How does environment limit choice? - Can policy change personal agency? A Different Perspective Poverty alone does not explain all criminal behavior; personal agency matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Circumstances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circumstances/) [Circumstances Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circumstances-think-1376313/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Decision making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision-making/) [Decisions People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decisions-people/) [Engage Criminal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engage-criminal-5085652/) [Fighting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighting/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Choose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-choose/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Want Fight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-fight/) ## Related quotes > [ \[In a republic,\] it is not the people themselves who make the decisions, but the people they themselves choose to stand in their places. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-monroe/in-a-republic-it-is-not-the-people-themselves-who-make-the-decisions/) [James Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-monroe/) > [“My life is one screw up after another. I just wonder if anyone should keep thinking someday I'll be okay...” “That isn't really for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindy-zart/my-life-is-one-screw-up-after-another-i-just-wonder-if-anyone-should/) [Lindy Zart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindy-zart/) > [“Given the circumstances, we do what we think is right at the time. That’s all we can do. The fact that we agonise and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-ellis/given-the-circumstances-we-do-what-we-think-is-right-at-the-time-that/) [Joy Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-ellis/) > [“I think love is stronger than habits or circumstances. I think it is possible to keep yourself for someone for a long time and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/i-think-love-is-stronger-than-habits-or-circumstances-i-think-it-is/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [The one thing I try to do with everything I write is open people's eyes to those they normally ignore or dismiss. To make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/the-one-thing-i-try-to-do-with-everything-i-write-is-open-people-s/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“You can enjoy a deep sense of satisfaction and happiness in life despite challenging circumstances. It's all in how you think about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristi-bowman/you-can-enjoy-a-deep-sense-of-satisfaction-and-happiness-in-life/) [Kristi Bowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristi-bowman/) > [“I think that love is stronger than habits or circumstances. I think it is possible to keep yourself for someone for a long time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/i-think-that-love-is-stronger-than-habits-or-circumstances-i-think-it/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [We don't always get everything. And sometimes we worry too much about our circumstances. 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We can judge them for making the wrong decisions, but if you look harder and understand that these lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-haigh/people-have-very-difficult-lives-we-can-judge-them-for-making-the/) [Andrew Haigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-haigh/) > [Underneath it, in 'An Inconvenient Truth', we talked a lot about the unspoken decisions that people make in their heads.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davis-guggenheim/underneath-it-in-an-inconvenient-truth-we-talked-a-lot-about-the/) [Davis Guggenheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davis-guggenheim/) > [Decisions are made by people who have time, not people who have talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/decisions-are-made-by-people-who-have-time-not-people-who-have-talent/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [Life's so much based on instincts and quick decisions, and people don't know what they're looking for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-wolfe-herd/life-s-so-much-based-on-instincts-and-quick-decisions-and-people-don/) [Whitney Wolfe Herd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-wolfe-herd/) > [“When society is ful of nonsense like ours, when the government makes decisions people don't approve of and tells you that you have voted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-jace/when-society-is-ful-of-nonsense-like-ours-when-the-government-makes/) [Cameron Jace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-jace/) > [“People are unpredictable and predictable at the same time: it seems that whenever you want someone to surprise you they remain themselves, and those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-hiorns/people-are-unpredictable-and-predictable-at-the-same-time-it-seems/) [Helen Hiorns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-hiorns/) ## More by Joshua Clover > [I don't want to overvalue Donald Trump as some historical rupture, and to admit that I do think Trump is an indication of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-clover/i-don-t-want-to-overvalue-donald-trump-as-some-historical-rupture-and/) [Joshua Clover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-clover/) > [Over the last few decades, I've grown more skeptical about a few things in which I used to have more faith. I believe as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-clover/over-the-last-few-decades-i-ve-grown-more-skeptical-about-a-few/) [Joshua Clover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-clover/) > [People who oppose violence often defend strikes, forgetting that strikes are historically every bit as violent as riots. They recast history so that strikes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-clover/people-who-oppose-violence-often-defend-strikes-forgetting-that/) [Joshua Clover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-clover/) > [There are places in the world where it's easier than in the US to be a person who produces theory and not require the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-clover/there-are-places-in-the-world-where-it-s-easier-than-in-the-us-to-be/) [Joshua Clover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-clover/) > [For a long time, early industrializing countries were absorptive. They were endlessly able to absorb new labor inputs to keep expanding. This was both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-clover/for-a-long-time-early-industrializing-countries-were-absorptive-they/) [Joshua Clover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-clover/) > [My point is that the alienation of theory and practice, intellectual and manual labor, is a real issue, but it's the outcome of social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-clover/my-point-is-that-the-alienation-of-theory-and-practice-intellectual/) [Joshua Clover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-clover/) > [When people are in a workplace where it's possible to organize and engage in labor actions, that's how they fight, and it can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-clover/when-people-are-in-a-workplace-where-it-s-possible-to-organize-and/) [Joshua Clover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-clover/) > [I don't want to be hubristic about art's possibilities. I don't think that art has a causal relationship to revolution. I do think it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-clover/i-don-t-want-to-be-hubristic-about-art-s-possibilities-i-don-t-think/) [Joshua Clover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-clover/) > [The most important quote about poetry and politics that I know is from a different situationist, Guy Debord. He was locked in a debate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-clover/the-most-important-quote-about-poetry-and-politics-that-i-know-is/) [Joshua Clover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-clover/) > [People often say, "Riots aren't revolutions." That's true. The vast majority of riots never become revolutionary. On the other hand, show me the revolution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-clover/people-often-say-riots-aren-t-revolutions-that-s-true-the-vast/) [Joshua Clover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-clover/) > [The university is one of various funding structures by which people who want to do theoretical work stay alive, the same way that people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-clover/the-university-is-one-of-various-funding-structures-by-which-people/) [Joshua Clover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-clover/) > [Even as I've become more reticent about the political possibilities of the academic space, I want to note that students have played significant roles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-clover/even-as-i-ve-become-more-reticent-about-the-political-possibilities/) [Joshua Clover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-clover/) > [I'm trying to mediate between individual agency and structural determination. I accept that people make individual choices, quite thoughtful, quite careful, quite difficult choices,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-clover/i-m-trying-to-mediate-between-individual-agency-and-structural/) [Joshua Clover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-clover/) [Explore all 14 Joshua Clover quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-clover/) ## More Choices quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) [Alison James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-james/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) [Pancho Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pancho-barnes/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [Clarissa," he said, "here with the vampire, I see. When things have settled a bit, we really must discuss you choice in pets..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/clarissa-he-said-here-with-the-vampire-i-see-when-things-have-settled/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [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/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [I don't know that any woman could ever not think about that at some point - even making the choice not to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-watts/i-don-t-know-that-any-woman-could-ever-not-think-about-that-at-some/) [Naomi Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-watts/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) [Browse all 11,466 Choices quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People do make considered choices about whether they want to fight, and how, and they do so from disparate circumstances. 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