--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I always said that in a country where a…" description: "\"I always said that in a country where a legislature, its sessions limited by statute, could alter reality by turning back the clock (I actually saw thi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49c/l-neil-smith-3636_clock_i-always-said-that-in-a-country-where-a_463239.png" --- # I always said that in a country where a legislature, its… ![“I always said that in a country where a legislature, its sessions limited by statute, could alter reality by turning back the clock (I actually saw this done, once, with a long pole pushing on the hour hand), any travesty was possible. I see nothing lately to prove me wrong.” quote by L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49c/l-neil-smith-3636_clock_i-always-said-that-in-a-country-where-a_463239.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49c/l-neil-smith-3636_clock_i-always-said-that-in-a-country-where-a_463239.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49c/l-neil-smith-3636_clock_i-always-said-that-in-a-country-where-a_463239.png) > “I always said that in a country where a legislature, its sessions limited by statute, could alter reality by turning back the clock (I actually saw this done, once, with a long pole pushing on the hour hand), any travesty was possible. I see nothing lately to prove me wrong.” [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A flexible legislature can manipulate time, showing how easily reality can be altered, and such power invites abuse. **In simple terms:** Powerful institutions can reshape reality, often dangerously. Key Takeaway Beware unchecked authority. Themes politics power temporal control Mood cautious critical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - legislative reform - media literacy - civic engagement Key Concepts political theory philosophy of law Questions to Reflect On - How does law shape perception of reality? - What safeguards prevent abuse? A Different Perspective Assumes literal time manipulation; metaphorical. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clock/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) ## Related quotes > [There is no nobler chore in the craft of writing than holding up the mirror of reality and turning it slightly, so we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-ellison/there-is-no-nobler-chore-in-the-craft-of-writing-than-holding-up-the/) [Harlan Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-ellison/) > [“What’s wrong with turning back the clock if the clock is wrong? 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They're married and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karla-souza/something-i-was-adamant-about-was-that-the-movie-everybody-lovess/) [Karla Souza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karla-souza/) > [Never despair, keep pushing on!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-lipton/never-despair-keep-pushing-on/) Thomas Lipton > [In no organized sport do the participants have to endure days of struggle just to get to the starting line of their event. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-house/in-no-organized-sport-do-the-participants-have-to-endure-days-of/) [Steve House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-house/) > [I've never been about trying to promote a brand of Squarepusher. I've never been keen on that idea that these are the character traits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/squarepusher/i-ve-never-been-about-trying-to-promote-a-brand-of-squarepusher-i-ve/) Squarepusher > [One goes on writing partly because it is the only available way of earning a living. It is a hard way and highly competitive.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-burgess/one-goes-on-writing-partly-because-it-is-the-only-available-way-of/) [Anthony Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-burgess/) > [Avarice is insatiable, and is always pushing on for more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-l-estrange/avarice-is-insatiable-and-is-always-pushing-on-for-more/) [Roger L'Estrange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-l-estrange/) > [Keep positive and keep pushing on and things will turn good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-mcgregor/keep-positive-and-keep-pushing-on-and-things-will-turn-good/) [Conor McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-mcgregor/) > [Start where you are, use what you have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-ashe/start-where-you-are-use-what-you-have/) [Arthur Ashe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-ashe/) > [Nothing good ever comes from worrying or sitting there feeling sorry for yourself... Keep positive and keep pushing on and things will turn good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-mcgregor/nothing-good-ever-comes-from-worrying-or-sitting-there-feeling-sorry/) [Conor McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-mcgregor/) > [These events are swirling around them. In the white community, people felt like they had no control over their neighborhoods, their destiny. In the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/these-events-are-swirling-around-them-in-the-white-community-people/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [“On your left!” my bodyguard shouts again, skirting around me. “Looks like you only got two speeds—slow and slower!” I glare after him. “Excuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-poston/on-your-left-my-bodyguard-shouts-again-skirting-around-me-looks-like/) [Ashley Poston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-poston/) ## More by L. Neil Smith > [Many individuals spend a considerable portion of their lifetimes in terror of one imagined catastrophe or another. The classic is that your immortal soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/many-individuals-spend-a-considerable-portion-of-their-lifetimes-in/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [Great men don't 'move to the center' - great men move the center!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/great-men-don-t-move-to-the-center-great-men-move-the-center/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [I suggest due process, speedy trials, and public hangings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/i-suggest-due-process-speedy-trials-and-public-hangings/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [Guns cause crime like flies cause garbage!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/guns-cause-crime-like-flies-cause-garbage/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [I have a recurring daymare that when the Glorious People's SWAT Teams smash their way in, most of us - by which I mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/i-have-a-recurring-daymare-that-when-the-glorious-people-s-swat-teams/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [I'll remind you all, however, that for government, existence is a privilege, not a right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/i-ll-remind-you-all-however-that-for-government-existence-is-a/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [I propose a Constitutional Amendment providing that, if any public official, elected or appointed, at any level of government, is caught lying to any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/i-propose-a-constitutional-amendment-providing-that-if-any-public/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [Victim disarmament types are sick, sick people, who'd rather see a woman raped in an alley and strangled with her own pantyhose than see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/victim-disarmament-types-are-sick-sick-people-who-d-rather-see-a/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [Money, first and foremost, is a medium of communication, conveying the information we call 'price'. Government control of the money supply is censorship, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/money-first-and-foremost-is-a-medium-of-communication-conveying-the/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [A libertarian is a person who believes that no one has the right, under any circumstances, to initiate force against another human being, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/a-libertarian-is-a-person-who-believes-that-no-one-has-the-right/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [“...occasionally I like carrying raw steel to remind myself of an important lesson. The blade's an extension of the hand, the agent--no pun intended--of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/occasionally-i-like-carrying-raw-steel-to-remind-myself-of-an/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [Thanks to guys like Boss Tweed, famous for saying, 'I don't give a damn who does the voting, as long as I do the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/thanks-to-guys-like-boss-tweed-famous-for-saying-i-don-t-give-a-damn/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [Taxes are a barbaric remnant of ancient times in which early farmers, tied to the land, no longer able to roam freely, unable to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/taxes-are-a-barbaric-remnant-of-ancient-times-in-which-early-farmers/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [If conservatives really believed in individual liberty, as they endlessly claim and if they used both halves of their brains then they'd be libertarians.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/if-conservatives-really-believed-in-individual-liberty-as-they/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [You cannot force me to agree with you. You can force me to act as though I agree with you but then you'll have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/you-cannot-force-me-to-agree-with-you-you-can-force-me-to-act-as/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) [Explore all 125 L. Neil Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) ## More Clock quotes > [Even Einstein had to rely for his time on his clock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/even-einstein-had-to-rely-for-his-time-on-his-clock/) [Stanislaw Jerzy Lec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/) > [“Time was never neutral and often felt dangerous. We either think we have all the time in the world or time moves too fast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-reay/time-was-never-neutral-and-often-felt-dangerous-we-either-think-we/) [Katherine Reay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-reay/) > [Before a clock was in the tower, Or e'er a watch was worn; I knew of night the passing hour, And prophesied the morn;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/before-a-clock-was-in-the-tower-or-e-er-a-watch-was-worn-i-knew-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A clock struck out the hour of twelve, and the bird in the hedgerow was still singing as we marched out to the roadway,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-macgill/a-clock-struck-out-the-hour-of-twelve-and-the-bird-in-the-hedgerow/) [Patrick MacGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-macgill/) > [“Time is, to put it in its most impressive and some might say poncy-sounding form, my domain. I can see things that once happened,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-rayner/time-is-to-put-it-in-its-most-impressive-and-some-might-say-poncy/) [Jacqueline Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-rayner/) > [Time travel offends our sense of cause and effect - but maybe the universe doesn't insist on cause and effect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-lerner/time-travel-offends-our-sense-of-cause-and-effect-but-maybe-the/) [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) > [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [Time.The greatest creator, and the worst destroyer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/levi-keely/time-the-greatest-creator-and-the-worst-destroyer/) Levi Keely > [Steven Spielberg seems to have wanted to be a director from 13. He put his dog in a certain position and made him eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-brooks/steven-spielberg-seems-to-have-wanted-to-be-a-director-from-13-he-put/) [Albert Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-brooks/) > [No life goes past so swiftly as an eventless one, no clock spins like a clock whose days are all alike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/no-life-goes-past-so-swiftly-as-an-eventless-one-no-clock-spins-like/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [Those who stop marketing to save money are like those who stop a clock to save time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/those-who-stop-marketing-to-save-money-are-like-those-who-stop-a/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [Time is the nervous system of narration, whether factual or fictive. If it gets confused some of the minutiae of human nature are certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenway-wescott/time-is-the-nervous-system-of-narration-whether-factual-or-fictive-if/) [Glenway Wescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenway-wescott/) > [I don't know if it's just me or everyone, but the whole vibe with skiing is not so much thriving on competition against others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/picabo-street/i-don-t-know-if-it-s-just-me-or-everyone-but-the-whole-vibe-with/) [Picabo Street](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/picabo-street/) > [Time goes on, even when yer not looking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/time-goes-on-even-when-yer-not-looking/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [CLOCK, n. A machine of great moral value to man, allaying his concern for the future by reminding him what a lot of time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/clock-n-a-machine-of-great-moral-value-to-man-allaying-his-concern/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) [Browse all 2,738 Clock quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clock/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I always said that in a country where a legislature, its sessions limited by statute, could alter reality by turning back the clock (I actually saw this done, once, with a long pole pushing on the hour hand), any travesty was possible. I see nothing lately to prove me wrong.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "L. 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