--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is true that one was not allowed at…" description: "\"It is true that one was not allowed at the time to really ask, what would lead people to do this, from what sense of political outrage or injury? And i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7cd/judith-butler-1374_action_it-is-true-that-one-was-not-allowed-at-t_935307.jpg" --- # It is true that one was not allowed at the time to really… ![“It is true that one was not allowed at the time to really ask, what would lead people to do this, from what sense of political outrage or injury? And in that way, the possibility of sympathetic identification was foreclosed. That does not mean that some people took quiet pleasure in certain icons…” quote by Judith Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7cd/judith-butler-1374_action_it-is-true-that-one-was-not-allowed-at-t_935307.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7cd/judith-butler-1374_action_it-is-true-that-one-was-not-allowed-at-t_935307.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7cd/judith-butler-1374_action_it-is-true-that-one-was-not-allowed-at-t_935307.jpg) > “It is true that one was not allowed at the time to really ask, what would lead people to do this, from what sense of political outrage or injury? And in that way, the possibility of sympathetic identification was foreclosed. That does not mean that some people took quiet pleasure in certain icons of US capitalism coming down, even though they would oppose such action on moral and political grounds.” [Judith Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-butler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques how political outrage can block empathy, allowing people to enjoy the downfall of symbols without confronting their own moral stance. **In simple terms:** Outrage blocks empathy, leading to enjoyment of symbolic collapse despite moral opposition. Key Takeaway Recognize how anger can blind empathy. Themes politics empathy morality media identity Mood critical reflective Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - political protests - media analysis - activist strategy - public discourse Key Concepts critical theory social identity cognitive dissonance Questions to Reflect On - How does anger affect our capacity for empathy? - Can we enjoy a symbol's fall without moral conflict? A Different Perspective It may overlook structural factors that shape outrage. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Capitalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism/) [Icons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/icons/) [Identification](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identification/) [Injury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/injury/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Outrage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outrage/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Possibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possibility/) [Sympathetic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sympathetic/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [It's always a collective group of people coming together to oppose those things which are fundamentally contrary to our basic humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-fishburne/it-s-always-a-collective-group-of-people-coming-together-to-oppose/) [Laurence Fishburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-fishburne/) > [Let us wage a moral and political war against war itself, so that we can cut military spending and use that money for human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/let-us-wage-a-moral-and-political-war-against-war-itself-so-that-we/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [Education as a democratic project always presupposes a vision of the future in its introduction to, preparation for, and legitimation of particular forms of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/education-as-a-democratic-project-always-presupposes-a-vision-of-the/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [If a political party does not have its foundation in the determination to advance a cause that is right and that is moral, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/if-a-political-party-does-not-have-its-foundation-in-the/) [Dwight D. 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