--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The function of government is to provide…" description: "\"The function of government is to provide you with service; the function of the media is to supply the Vaseline.\" — L. Neil Smith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5f/l-neil-smith-3636_function_the-function-of-government-is-to-provide_661566.png" --- # The function of government is to provide you with service… ![“The function of government is to provide you with service; the function of the media is to supply the Vaseline.” quote by L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5f/l-neil-smith-3636_function_the-function-of-government-is-to-provide_661566.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5f/l-neil-smith-3636_function_the-function-of-government-is-to-provide_661566.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5f/l-neil-smith-3636_function_the-function-of-government-is-to-provide_661566.png) > “The function of government is to provide you with service; the function of the media is to supply the Vaseline.” [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. Government serves citizens; media often smooths harsh realities, acting like Vaseline. **In simple terms:** Govt helps; media softens. Key Takeaway Critically assess media messages. Themes government media propaganda Mood analytical skeptical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - news consumption - political debates - education curricula Key Concepts political theory communication critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - How do you discern media bias? - When is media protection beneficial? A Different Perspective May generalize media roles. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/service/) [Vaseline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vaseline/) ## Related quotes > [The most basic function of government is to provide a framework of law and order, within which the people are free to choose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-most-basic-function-of-government-is-to-provide-a-framework-of/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [As a studio, you have to have a niche. You have to provide a service and there has to be a reason for your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanderslice/as-a-studio-you-have-to-have-a-niche-you-have-to-provide-a-service/) [John Vanderslice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanderslice/) > [ \[On her monologue as the thief 'Fontaine':\] People always got things. People always want things. So I provide a service. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whoopi-goldberg/on-her-monologue-as-the-thief-fontaine-people-always-got-things/) [Whoopi Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whoopi-goldberg/) > [“13 Simple Ways to Deliver Service Beyond Self 1. Make it Easy for People to Do Business with You. 2. Be an Awesome, Sincere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/13-simple-ways-to-deliver-service-beyond-self-1-make-it-easy-for/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [I'm happy to provide that service. But that's the power of it. A good infographic that's been really worked on looks simple and easy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccandless/i-m-happy-to-provide-that-service-but-that-s-the-power-of-it-a-good/) [David Mccandless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccandless/) > [Provide more service than what you get paid for](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-brown/provide-more-service-than-what-you-get-paid-for/) [Les Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-brown/) > [Genuinely ubiquitous computing spreads like warm Vaseline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/genuinely-ubiquitous-computing-spreads-like-warm-vaseline/) [William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/) > [You like how I look in the aqua green? Get your Vaseline. Roll some weed with some tissue and close your eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-kim-2/you-like-how-i-look-in-the-aqua-green-get-your-vaseline-roll-some/) [Lil Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-kim-2/) > [Self-care. I got that from my mom. Even if we had nothing, we were always moisturized. So much Vaseline. In the dead of winter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-jhn/self-care-i-got-that-from-my-mom-even-if-we-had-nothing-we-were/) [Saint Jhn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-jhn/) > [3 whole Catfish, Wrapped separately Veet (It’s for Shaving your legs Only you don’t Need A razor. It’s with all the Girly cosmetic stuff)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/3-whole-catfish-wrapped-separately-veet-it-s-for-shaving-your-legs/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I'm very excited to be partnering with Vaseline because I've been a fan for years. It's products I grew up with - my mom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-lindsay/i-m-very-excited-to-be-partnering-with-vaseline-because-i-ve-been-a/) [Rachel Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-lindsay/) > [My unusual beauty tip is that I often use Vaseline to take my make up off. It works great and is good for sensitive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-bilson/my-unusual-beauty-tip-is-that-i-often-use-vaseline-to-take-my-make-up/) [Rachel Bilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-bilson/) > [For day-to-day beauty, I'm a Q-tip and Vaseline kind of girl. I never leave home without Q-tips - they're a great fix for any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-johansson/for-day-to-day-beauty-i-m-a-q-tip-and-vaseline-kind-of-girl-i-never/) [Scarlett Johansson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-johansson/) > [Not true at all. Vaseline is manufactured right here in the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-sutton/not-true-at-all-vaseline-is-manufactured-right-here-in-the-united/) [Don Sutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-sutton/) > [There is no romance without some lying. That's what romance is - a little bit of Vaseline on the camera lens of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-jeni/there-is-no-romance-without-some-lying-that-s-what-romance-is-a/) [Richard Jeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-jeni/) ## 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. 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