---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everyone has the right to be stupid on…"
description: "\"Everyone has the right to be stupid on occasion, but Comrade Macdonald abuses the privilege.\" — Leon Trotsky"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/912/leon-trotsky-2558_everyone_everyone-has-the-right-to-be-stupid-on-o_862331.jpg"
---

#  Everyone has the right to be stupid on occasion, but…

![“Everyone has the right to be stupid on occasion, but Comrade Macdonald abuses the privilege.” quote by Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/912/leon-trotsky-2558_everyone_everyone-has-the-right-to-be-stupid-on-o_862331.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/912/leon-trotsky-2558_everyone_everyone-has-the-right-to-be-stupid-on-o_862331.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/912/leon-trotsky-2558_everyone_everyone-has-the-right-to-be-stupid-on-o_862331.jpg)

> “Everyone has the right to be stupid on occasion, but Comrade Macdonald abuses the privilege.”

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

People sometimes act foolishly, yet a specific individual exploits this tolerance excessively.

**In simple terms:** Stupidity is a right, but some misuse it.

Key Takeaway

Avoid exploiting others' mistakes.

Themes

politics ethics power abuse

Mood

irry critical reflective

Type

political satirical observational

When to use this quote

- political debates
- workplace interactions
- online forums
- personal relationships

Key Concepts

authority responsibility social dynamics

Questions to Reflect On

- Do you ever feel others misuse your patience?
- How can you set boundaries without seeming harsh?

A Different Perspective

The quote may be sarcastic, limiting its factual basis.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Comrade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comrade/) [Privilege](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/privilege/)

## Related quotes

> [Everyone has a right to be stupid, but Comrade MacDonald abuses the privilege.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/everyone-has-a-right-to-be-stupid-but-comrade-macdonald-abuses-the/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

> [Everyone has a right to be stupid, but Comrade McDonald abuses the privilege.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/everyone-has-a-right-to-be-stupid-but-comrade-mcdonald-abuses-the/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

> [Trump abuses every privilege in the same way. It's kind of like King George. Take a legal concept and then stretch it beyond all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-katyal/trump-abuses-every-privilege-in-the-same-way-it-s-kind-of-like-king/)

[Neal Katyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-katyal/)

> [I hate it when a guy knows you like him, and he abuses the privilege.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-it-when-a-guy-knows-you-like-him-and-he-abuses-the-privilege/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [No nation ever yet found any inconvenience from too close an inspection into the conduct of its officers, but many have been brought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-livingston/no-nation-ever-yet-found-any-inconvenience-from-too-close-an/)

Edward Livingston

> [We Americans like to believe we live in a free country with the right to use the justice system to ensure that government abuses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharyl-attkisson/we-americans-like-to-believe-we-live-in-a-free-country-with-the-right/)

[Sharyl Attkisson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharyl-attkisson/)

> [The lure of heady profits of the late 1990's spawned abuses and excesses. With strict enforcement and higher ethical standards, we must usher in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/the-lure-of-heady-profits-of-the-late-1990-s-spawned-abuses-and/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [Pity those whom nature abuses, never those who abuse nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/pity-those-whom-nature-abuses-never-those-who-abuse-nature/)

[Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/)

> [The arts of power and its minions are the same in all countries and in all ages. It marks its victim; denounces it; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-clay/the-arts-of-power-and-its-minions-are-the-same-in-all-countries-and/)

[Henry Clay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-clay/)

> [“There have been extensive human rights violations by American psychiatrists over the last 70 years. These doctors were pad by the American taxpayer through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-a-ross/there-have-been-extensive-human-rights-violations-by-american/)

[Colin A. Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-a-ross/)

> [It is impossible to correct abuses unless we know that theyre going on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/it-is-impossible-to-correct-abuses-unless-we-know-that-theyre-going-on/)

[Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/)

> [But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-when-a-long-train-of-abuses-and-usurpations-pursuing-invariably/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Do not suppose that abuses are eliminated by destroying the object which is abused. Men can go wrong with wine and women. Shall we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/do-not-suppose-that-abuses-are-eliminated-by-destroying-the-object/)

[Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/)

> [As the list of abuses by federal agencies grows, Americans are rapidly losing trust in government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-meadows/as-the-list-of-abuses-by-federal-agencies-grows-americans-are-rapidly/)

[Mark Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-meadows/)

> [All governments should be pressured to correct their abuses of human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/all-governments-should-be-pressured-to-correct-their-abuses-of-human/)

[Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/)

## More by Leon Trotsky

> [The dialectic is neither fiction nor mysticism, but a science of the forms of our thinking insofar as it is not limited to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/the-dialectic-is-neither-fiction-nor-mysticism-but-a-science-of-the/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

> [ \[Joseph\] Stalin closes the exposition of these \[Leon Trotsky\] ideas with the words, "Such are in general the characteristic features of \[Vladimir\] Lenin's conception… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/joseph-stalin-closes-the-exposition-of-these-leon-trotsky-ideas-with/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

> [The creative union of the conscious with the unconscious is what one usually calls 'inspiration.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/the-creative-union-of-the-conscious-with-the-unconscious-is-what-one/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

> [Religions are illogical primitive ignorance. There is nothing as ridiculous and tragic as a religious government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/religions-are-illogical-primitive-ignorance-there-is-nothing-as/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

> [“As a battle cry against feudalism, the demand for democracy had a progressive character. As time went on, however, the metaphysics of natural law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/as-a-battle-cry-against-feudalism-the-demand-for-democracy-had-a/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

> [All the parties of capitalist society, all its moralists and all its sycophants will perish beneath the debris of the impending catastrophe. The only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/all-the-parties-of-capitalist-society-all-its-moralists-and-all-its/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

> [What shall we call an "immediate possibility"? In 1923 the situation in Germany was profoundly revolutionary, but what was lacking for a victorious revolution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/what-shall-we-call-an-immediate-possibility-in-1923-the-situation-in/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

> [The history of a revolution is for us first of all a history of the forcible entrance of the masses into the realm of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/the-history-of-a-revolution-is-for-us-first-of-all-a-history-of-the/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

> [I wrote a study about this question, The Lessons of October, which served as a pretext for my elimination from the government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/i-wrote-a-study-about-this-question-the-lessons-of-october-which/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

> [A program of "disarmament," while imperialist antagonisms survive, is the most pernicious of fictions. Even if it were realized by way of general agreement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/a-program-of-disarmament-while-imperialist-antagonisms-survive-is-the/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

> [ In Stalin each \[Soviet bureaucrat\] easily finds himself. But Stalin also finds in each one a small part of his own spirit. Stalin is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/in-stalin-each-soviet-bureaucrat-easily-finds-himself-but-stalin-also/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

> [As long as I breathe I hope. As long as I breathe I shall fight for the future, that radiant future, in which man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/as-long-as-i-breathe-i-hope-as-long-as-i-breathe-i-shall-fight-for/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

> [If we had had more time for discussion we should probably have made a great many more mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/if-we-had-had-more-time-for-discussion-we-should-probably-have-made-a/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

> [Is it possible to fulfill this task, is it possible to achieve the definite victory of Socialism in one country without the combined efforts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/is-it-possible-to-fulfill-this-task-is-it-possible-to-achieve-the/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

> [The motive force of history is truth and not lies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/the-motive-force-of-history-is-truth-and-not-lies/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

[Explore all 161 Leon Trotsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

## More Comrade quotes

> [Comrades, there is no true social revolution without the liberation of women. May my eyes never see and my feet never take me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sankara/comrades-there-is-no-true-social-revolution-without-the-liberation-of/)

[Thomas Sankara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sankara/)

> [Thousands of Americans have given their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq upholding their oaths and defending this nation. Chelsea Manning broke her oath and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/thousands-of-americans-have-given-their-lives-in-afghanistan-and-iraq/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [Obstacles are necessary for success because in selling, as in all careers of importance, victory comes only after many struggles and countless defeats. Yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/obstacles-are-necessary-for-success-because-in-selling-as-in-all/)

[Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/)

> [The little bee returns with evening's gloom, To join her comrades in the braided hive, Where, housed beside their might honey-comb, They dream their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-tennyson-turner/the-little-bee-returns-with-evening-s-gloom-to-join-her-comrades-in/)

[Charles Tennyson Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-tennyson-turner/)

> [Gentlemen, comrades, do not be concerned about all you hear about Glasnost and Perestroika and democracy in the coming years. They are primarily for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-gorbachev/gentlemen-comrades-do-not-be-concerned-about-all-you-hear-about/)

[Mikhail Gorbachev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-gorbachev/)

> [In spite of my great admiration for individual splendid talents I do not accept the star system. Collective creative effort is the root of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constantin-stanislavski/in-spite-of-my-great-admiration-for-individual-splendid-talents-i-do/)

[Constantin Stanislavski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constantin-stanislavski/)

> [Former lefties can make a good living in the media by attacking their ex-comrades - I'd do it myself if the price was right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cohen/former-lefties-can-make-a-good-living-in-the-media-by-attacking-their/)

[Nick Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cohen/)

> [Russian people, like their Chinese comrades, are well aware of what is going on. And there are tens of millions of their martyrs who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-vltchek/russian-people-like-their-chinese-comrades-are-well-aware-of-what-is/)

[Andre Vltchek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-vltchek/)

> [I said, wouldn't it be nice, instead of having these women fight with each other over men, which seems to be more of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-beals/i-said-wouldn-t-it-be-nice-instead-of-having-these-women-fight-with/)

[Jennifer Beals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-beals/)

> [ \[Insects\] are not only cold-blooded, and green- and yellow-blooded, but are also cased in a clacking horn. They have rigid eyes and brains strung… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/insects-are-not-only-cold-blooded-and-green-and-yellow-blooded-but/)

[Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/)

> [The great heart of comrade Kim Jong Il has ceased.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-yong-nam/the-great-heart-of-comrade-kim-jong-il-has-ceased/)

Kim Yong-nam

> [True friendship is worth more than can be measured, a quality forever to be treasured. True friends will staunchly stand beside each other, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecilia-dart-thornton/true-friendship-is-worth-more-than-can-be-measured-a-quality-forever/)

[Cecilia Dart-Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecilia-dart-thornton/)

> [Everyone may be called "comrade," but some comrades have the power of life and death over other comrades.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/everyone-may-be-called-comrade-but-some-comrades-have-the-power-of/)

[Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/)

> [In Memory of BPP Comrades Fred Hampton &amp; Mark Clark, both assassinated by the US Government via the state and local government of Chicago,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emory-douglas/in-memory-of-bpp-comrades-fred-hampton-mark-clark-both-assassinated/)

Emory Douglas

> [My only supporter and comrade-in-arms was Georg Helm, who had endeavored to formulate an energetic conception of science before me and had presented his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-ostwald/my-only-supporter-and-comrade-in-arms-was-georg-helm-who-had/)

[Wilhelm Ostwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-ostwald/)

[Browse all 289 Comrade quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comrade/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Everyone has the right to be stupid on occasion, but Comrade Macdonald abuses the privilege.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Leon Trotsky"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/everyone-has-the-right-to-be-stupid-on-occasion-but-comrade-macdonald/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Comrade"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/everyone-has-the-right-to-be-stupid-on-occasion-but-comrade-macdonald/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/912/leon-trotsky-2558_everyone_everyone-has-the-right-to-be-stupid-on-o_862331.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/912/leon-trotsky-2558_everyone_everyone-has-the-right-to-be-stupid-on-o_862331.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/912/leon-trotsky-2558_everyone_everyone-has-the-right-to-be-stupid-on-o_862331.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Everyone has the right to be stupid on occasion, but Comrade Macdonald abuses the privilege.” — Leon Trotsky",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Leon Trotsky",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Everyone has the right to be...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/everyone-has-the-right-to-be-stupid-on-occasion-but-comrade-macdonald/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/everyone-has-the-right-to-be-stupid-on-occasion-but-comrade-macdonald/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
