---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can make history, or you will be…"
description: "\"You can make history, or you will be vilified by it.\" — Leonardo DiCaprio"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b86/leonardo-dicaprio-997_funny_you-can-make-history-or-you-will-be-vili_1480857.jpg"
---

#  You can make history, or you will be vilified by it.

![“You can make history, or you will be vilified by it.” quote by Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b86/leonardo-dicaprio-997_funny_you-can-make-history-or-you-will-be-vili_1480857.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b86/leonardo-dicaprio-997_funny_you-can-make-history-or-you-will-be-vili_1480857.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b86/leonardo-dicaprio-997_funny_you-can-make-history-or-you-will-be-vili_1480857.jpg)

> “You can make history, or you will be vilified by it.”

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

## About This Quote

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

History can be shaped positively or become a tool of oppression; choose to act.

**In simple terms:** Make history, avoid being vilified.

Key Takeaway

Act to shape history positively.

Themes

activism legacy responsibility

Mood

determined inspirational

Type

political motivational

When to use this quote

- activism
- leadership
- education

Key Concepts

politics environment ethics

Questions to Reflect On

- What actions can you take today?
- How do you prevent being vilified?

A Different Perspective

May underestimate systemic barriers.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History Vilified](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-vilified-754581/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make/) [Make history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-history/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Vilified](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vilified/)

## Related quotes

> [No president in history has been more vilified or was more vilivied during the time he was President than Lincoln. Those who knew him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/no-president-in-history-has-been-more-vilified-or-was-more-vilivied/)

[Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/)

> [They have vilified me, they have crucified me. Yes, they have even criticized me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-daley/they-have-vilified-me-they-have-crucified-me-yes-they-have-even/)

[Richard J. Daley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-daley/)

> [“Only the glorified have once been vilified”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tare-munzara/only-the-glorified-have-once-been-vilified/)

[Tare Munzara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tare-munzara/)

> [It is useful to compare the Branch Davidians with the Mormons of the mid-nineteenth century. The Mormons were vilified in those years in large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/it-is-useful-to-compare-the-branch-davidians-with-the-mormons-of-the/)

[Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/)

> [It simply becomes more and more difficult as you move further away from your heyday, music being the only format where you're treasured for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/it-simply-becomes-more-and-more-difficult-as-you-move-further-away/)

[Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/)

> [“Being fat means being left out, scorned, and vilified.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-pipher/being-fat-means-being-left-out-scorned-and-vilified/)

[Mary Pipher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-pipher/)

> [“You don't have to VENERATE Hercule Poirot, Ms. Christie, but he didn't deserve to be VILIFIED , either!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-oznowicz/you-don-t-have-to-venerate-hercule-poirot-ms-christie-but-he-didn-t/)

[Johanna Oznowicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-oznowicz/)

> [I can be vilified. I can be misunderstood. I didn't come here to be liked. I came here to make a difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/i-can-be-vilified-i-can-be-misunderstood-i-didn-t-come-here-to-be/)

[Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/)

> [Few developments in campaigning have been as vilified and misunderstood as independent expenditure PACs, or, as they are colloquially known, super PACs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-a-smith/few-developments-in-campaigning-have-been-as-vilified-and/)

[Bradley A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-a-smith/)

> [Are people raised to be villains or vilified like I have become?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/are-people-raised-to-be-villains-or-vilified-like-i-have-become/)

[Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/)

> [Work hard, have fun and make history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/work-hard-have-fun-and-make-history/)

[Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/)

> [The way we make history exciting to learn about is by breaking down the barriers that are already set up between these people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daveed-diggs/the-way-we-make-history-exciting-to-learn-about-is-by-breaking-down/)

[Daveed Diggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daveed-diggs/)

> [We make the future better than the past. We don't hide from history. We make history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/we-make-the-future-better-than-the-past-we-don-t-hide-from-history-we/)

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

> [“...what has mattered are the moments of exposure to every life, when habit is no longer enough, and choices have to be made. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-stanley-robinson/what-has-mattered-are-the-moments-of-exposure-to-every-life-when/)

[Kim Stanley Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-stanley-robinson/)

> [Anybody can make history; only a great man can write it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/anybody-can-make-history-only-a-great-man-can-write-it/)

[Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/)

## More by Leonardo DiCaprio

> [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [My friends, this body - perhaps more than any other gathering in human history - now faces that difficult task.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/my-friends-this-body-perhaps-more-than-any-other-gathering-in-human/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [I've gotten to go to far-off places in the world, have very unique, isolated, intense experiences for four or five months at a time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/i-ve-gotten-to-go-to-far-off-places-in-the-world-have-very-unique/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [At first I thought I would have to put on an English accent and try a sort of affected Shakespeare thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/at-first-i-thought-i-would-have-to-put-on-an-english-accent-and-try-a/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [It gets to the point where you're hot, you're hot, and when you're not, you're not. It's so true. I have to slow down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/it-gets-to-the-point-where-you-re-hot-you-re-hot-and-when-you-re-not/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [I did imitations of anyone who came to my parents' house, and that was my identity at school - if there were ten minutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/i-did-imitations-of-anyone-who-came-to-my-parents-house-and-that-was/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [I think people read the tabloids because they want to see you eating a burger, or out of your makeup or doing something stupid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/i-think-people-read-the-tabloids-because-they-want-to-see-you-eating/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [When I can't immediately define the character, and there's an element of mystery to it and still a lot to be explored, that's when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/when-i-can-t-immediately-define-the-character-and-there-s-an-element/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [I remember when I first started having these interpretations of these images, these clichés of what movie stars are and this and that, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/i-remember-when-i-first-started-having-these-interpretations-of-these/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [It's my first sort of commercial attempt, but it made sense for me because I'm not that kind of guy and I'm not going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/it-s-my-first-sort-of-commercial-attempt-but-it-made-sense-for-me/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [We must all move shoulder to shoulder in a unified front to show this administration that the true majority of people are willing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/we-must-all-move-shoulder-to-shoulder-in-a-unified-front-to-show-this/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [I get unhappy doing things that I'm not passionate about. Because I feel like I'm squandering this incredible gift I've been given to finance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/i-get-unhappy-doing-things-that-i-m-not-passionate-about-because-i/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [I haven't died in a movie in a while,'The Departed,' 'Body of Lies,' 'Revolutionary Road,' 'Shutter Island' and 'Inception.' I guess I did die…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/i-haven-t-died-in-a-movie-in-a-while-the-departed-body-of-lies/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [Obviously people don't want other people to tell them how to think or what to believe, or to tell them what's right politically and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/obviously-people-don-t-want-other-people-to-tell-them-how-to-think-or/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [I've always been spontaneous and outgoing... I've tried lots of things so I've got some good life experiences, which is great 'cause it means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/i-ve-always-been-spontaneous-and-outgoing-i-ve-tried-lots-of-things/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

[Explore all 311 Leonardo DiCaprio quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

## More Funny quotes

> [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/)

[Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/)

> [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/)

[Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/)

> [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/)

[Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/)

> [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/)

[Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/)

> [God reveals Himself through surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-reveals-himself-through-surprises/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [Sometimes I look at my awesome twitter followers &amp; think to myself, What the hell would I do without them :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/sometimes-i-look-at-my-awesome-twitter-followers-think-to-myself-what/)

[Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/)

> [The happy have whole days,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/the-happy-have-whole-days/)

[Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/)

> [Congratulations to Facebook on going public with all my private information...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/congratulations-to-facebook-on-going-public-with-all-my-private/)

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

> [Why are things as they are and not otherwise?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/why-are-things-as-they-are-and-not-otherwise/)

[Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/)

> [I've been funny my whole life. This is a gift God gave me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/i-ve-been-funny-my-whole-life-this-is-a-gift-god-gave-me/)

[Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/)

> [Penis goes in , sperms cums out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/penis-goes-in-sperms-cums-out/)

[Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/)

> [If you were to send a werewolf to the moon, would he be a werewolf permanently?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-schaal/if-you-were-to-send-a-werewolf-to-the-moon-would-he-be-a-werewolf/)

[Kristen Schaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-schaal/)

> [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/)

> [If you can connect people, you can create the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-heiferman/if-you-can-connect-people-you-can-create-the-future/)

[Scott Heiferman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-heiferman/)

> [Don't think OF the market. Think AS the market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-fishman/don-t-think-of-the-market-think-as-the-market/)

[Michael Fishman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-fishman/)

[Browse all 39,858 Funny quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "You can make history, or you will be vilified by it.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Leonardo DiCaprio"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/you-can-make-history-or-you-will-be-vilified-by-it/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Funny"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/you-can-make-history-or-you-will-be-vilified-by-it/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b86/leonardo-dicaprio-997_funny_you-can-make-history-or-you-will-be-vili_1480857.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b86/leonardo-dicaprio-997_funny_you-can-make-history-or-you-will-be-vili_1480857.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b86/leonardo-dicaprio-997_funny_you-can-make-history-or-you-will-be-vili_1480857.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“You can make history, or you will be vilified by it.” — Leonardo DiCaprio",
                "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": "Leonardo DiCaprio",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "You can make history, or you...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/you-can-make-history-or-you-will-be-vilified-by-it/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/you-can-make-history-or-you-will-be-vilified-by-it/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
