--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It doesn't pay well to fight for what we…" description: "\"It doesn't pay well to fight for what we believe in.\" — Lillian Hellman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6f/lillian-hellman-4752_activism_it-doesn-t-pay-well-to-fight-for-what-we_1471971.jpg" --- # It doesn't pay well to fight for what we believe in. ![“It doesn't pay well to fight for what we believe in.” quote by Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6f/lillian-hellman-4752_activism_it-doesn-t-pay-well-to-fight-for-what-we_1471971.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6f/lillian-hellman-4752_activism_it-doesn-t-pay-well-to-fight-for-what-we_1471971.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6f/lillian-hellman-4752_activism_it-doesn-t-pay-well-to-fight-for-what-we_1471971.jpg) > “It doesn't pay well to fight for what we believe in.” [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Standing up for beliefs often brings personal or financial sacrifice, making it hard to sustain. **In simple terms:** Beliefs can cost money and comfort. Key Takeaway Consider the true cost of your convictions. Themes integrity sacrifice politics Mood reflective serious Type ethical political When to use this quote - activism - career choices - family decisions - political campaigning Key Concepts moral courage economic risk Questions to Reflect On - What are you willing to lose for your values? - How do you balance principle with practicality? A Different Perspective Not all fights are worth the price; sometimes compromise is necessary. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Activism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activism/) [Fight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fight/) ## Related quotes > [I fight for what I believe. If you are not willing to stand up for what you believe, your beliefs are not strong enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-helms/i-fight-for-what-i-believe-if-you-are-not-willing-to-stand-up-for/) [Jesse Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-helms/) > [There's no way I'm ever taking a dive. There's no amount of money in this world that could pay me off in a fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-mendes/there-s-no-way-i-m-ever-taking-a-dive-there-s-no-amount-of-money-in/) [Chad Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-mendes/) > [People pay to see you fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julio-cesar-chavez-sr/people-pay-to-see-you-fight/) [Julio Cesar Chavez Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julio-cesar-chavez-sr/) > [I'm a bad guy. But if I was a good guy, nobody would want to pay to see me fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-m-a-bad-guy-but-if-i-was-a-good-guy-nobody-would-want-to-pay-to-see/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [I can't tell you how many fights I had where I had to pay to go fight. It was a lot of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shayna-baszler/i-can-t-tell-you-how-many-fights-i-had-where-i-had-to-pay-to-go-fight/) [Shayna Baszler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shayna-baszler/) > [They pay me to fight once I'm up in the cage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yair-rodriguez/they-pay-me-to-fight-once-i-m-up-in-the-cage/) [Yair Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yair-rodriguez/) > [Had enough of my poetry yet? That's why they pay me to fight demons instead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/had-enough-of-my-poetry-yet-that-s-why-they-pay-me-to-fight-demons/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) > [I'm committed to raising teacher pay and will fight to make significant progress every year until we get there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-cooper/i-m-committed-to-raising-teacher-pay-and-will-fight-to-make/) [Roy Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-cooper/) > [I fight for whatever I believe in! I've learned to trust myself. I went from a being a rapper to an artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tierra-whack/i-fight-for-whatever-i-believe-in-i-ve-learned-to-trust-myself-i-went/) [Tierra Whack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tierra-whack/) > [I don't think everything is going to get peachy ever. But I think we have to fight for what we believe in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-matthews/i-don-t-think-everything-is-going-to-get-peachy-ever-but-i-think-we/) [Dave Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-matthews/) > [There are times when you have to fight for something you believe in, that you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-riegert/there-are-times-when-you-have-to-fight-for-something-you-believe-in/) [Peter Riegert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-riegert/) > [But one of the things I learned is that when you fight for something you believe in and you tell the truth and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-kerry/but-one-of-the-things-i-learned-is-that-when-you-fight-for-something/) [Vanessa Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-kerry/) > [The only advice that I'm in the mood to give - and that I give regularly - to young people is this: fight for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indro-montanelli/the-only-advice-that-i-m-in-the-mood-to-give-and-that-i-give/) [Indro Montanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indro-montanelli/) > [If I take the fight, I always believe in me, and I always believe I can beat anybody in the UFC.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renato-moicano/if-i-take-the-fight-i-always-believe-in-me-and-i-always-believe-i-can/) [Renato Moicano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renato-moicano/) > [I think you can be conservative and fight for what you believe in without being mean-spirited or bash people or be ugly about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-gallagher/i-think-you-can-be-conservative-and-fight-for-what-you-believe-in/) [Mike Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-gallagher/) ## More by Lillian Hellman > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [Failure in the theater is more dramatic and uglier than any other form of writing. It costs so much, you feel so guilty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-dramatic-and-uglier-than-any-other/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [A man should be jailed for telling lies to the young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/a-man-should-be-jailed-for-telling-lies-to-the-young/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [I don't think many writers like their best-known piece of work, particularly when it was written a long time ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/i-don-t-think-many-writers-like-their-best-known-piece-of-work/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [I live in a room and I go to work and I play a game called getting through the day while you wait for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/i-live-in-a-room-and-i-go-to-work-and-i-play-a-game-called-getting/) [LILLIAN HELLMAN](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [There are people who eat the earth and eat all the people on it like in the Bible with the locusts. And other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/there-are-people-who-eat-the-earth-and-eat-all-the-people-on-it-like/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [Nothing you write, if you hope to be good, will ever come out as you first hoped.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/nothing-you-write-if-you-hope-to-be-good-will-ever-come-out-as-you/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [Decision by democratic majority vote is a fine form of government, but it's a stinking way to create.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/decision-by-democratic-majority-vote-is-a-fine-form-of-government-but/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [Haven't you lived in the South long enough to know that nothing is ever anybody's fault?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/haven-t-you-lived-in-the-south-long-enough-to-know-that-nothing-is/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [We will not think noble because we are not noble. We will not live in beautiful harmony because there is no such thing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/we-will-not-think-noble-because-we-are-not-noble-we-will-not-live-in/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [It was an unspoken pleasure, that having come together so many years, ruined so much and repaired a little, we had endured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/it-was-an-unspoken-pleasure-that-having-come-together-so-many-years/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [Intellectuals can tell themselves anything, sell themselves any bill of goods, which is why they were so often patsies for the ruling classes in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/intellectuals-can-tell-themselves-anything-sell-themselves-any-bill/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [Courtesy is breeding. Breeding is an excellent thing. Always remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/courtesy-is-breeding-breeding-is-an-excellent-thing-always-remember/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [You lose your manners when you're poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/you-lose-your-manners-when-you-re-poor/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [Fashions in sin change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/fashions-in-sin-change/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) [Explore all 106 Lillian Hellman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) ## More Activism quotes > [“God has a way of picking a “nobody” and turning their world upside down, in order to create a “somebody” that will remove the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/god-has-a-way-of-picking-a-nobody-and-turning-their-world-upside-down/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“All struggles against oppression in the modern woeld begin by redefining what had previously been consideered private, non-public and non-political issues as matters of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seyla-benhabib/all-struggles-against-oppression-in-the-modern-woeld-begin-by/) Seyla Benhabib > [Joy doesn't betray but sustains activism. And when you face a politics that aspires to make you fearful, alienated and isolated, joy is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/joy-doesn-t-betray-but-sustains-activism-and-when-you-face-a-politics/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [“It takes a female to have a baby, It takes a woman to raise a child, It takes a mother to raise them correctly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/it-takes-a-female-to-have-a-baby-it-takes-a-woman-to-raise-a-child-it/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Paul Revere earned his living as a silversmith. But what do we remember him for? His volunteer work. All activism is volunteering in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-j-ellis/paul-revere-earned-his-living-as-a-silversmith-but-what-do-we/) Susan J. Ellis > [Being in service and being involved in something that is greater than you is what makes a person complete and whole. The very first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-moreno/being-in-service-and-being-involved-in-something-that-is-greater-than/) [Rita Moreno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-moreno/) > [“The times do not call for grassroots political activism, as if the next election might be enough to reverse a massive cultural earthquake. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-d-miller/the-times-do-not-call-for-grassroots-political-activism-as-if-the/) Paul D. Miller > [He went to Paris looking for answers to questions that bothered him so. He was impressive, young and aggressive, saving the world on his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-buffett/he-went-to-paris-looking-for-answers-to-questions-that-bothered-him/) [Jimmy Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-buffett/) > [Poetry is a lousy form of activism; it doesn't really change much. And maybe we can point to one or two historical times when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-gottlieb/poetry-is-a-lousy-form-of-activism-it-doesn-t-really-change-much-and/) [Daphne Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-gottlieb/) > [There's a lot of activism that doesn't deal with empowerment, and you have to empower yourself in order to be relevant to any type…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-kweli/there-s-a-lot-of-activism-that-doesn-t-deal-with-empowerment-and-you/) [Talib Kweli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talib-kweli/) > [“Until you find a cause you can die for, you are not worthy to live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ifeanyi-enoch-onuoha/until-you-find-a-cause-you-can-die-for-you-are-not-worthy-to-live/) [Ifeanyi Enoch Onuoha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ifeanyi-enoch-onuoha/) > [Ya'll know what you need to do? Get together, make a We Are The World record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/ya-ll-know-what-you-need-to-do-get-together-make-a-we-are-the-world/) [Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/) > [“There is no way to tell if we are the pioneers of a visionary new age, whisking humanity into the high vibrations of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-talat-phillips/there-is-no-way-to-tell-if-we-are-the-pioneers-of-a-visionary-new-age/) [Jonathan Talat Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-talat-phillips/) > [Terence McKenna says, "The culture is not your friend." I am not sure we can change this culture. But I think we can rise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/terence-mckenna-says-the-culture-is-not-your-friend-i-am-not-sure-we/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [“A spirituality that is only private and self-absorbed, one devoid of an authentic political and social consciousness, does little to halt the suicidal juggernaut…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-harvey/a-spirituality-that-is-only-private-and-self-absorbed-one-devoid-of/) [Andrew Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-harvey/) [Browse all 820 Activism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It doesn't pay well to fight for what we believe in.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lillian Hellman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/it-doesn-t-pay-well-to-fight-for-what-we-believe-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Activism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/it-doesn-t-pay-well-to-fight-for-what-we-believe-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6f/lillian-hellman-4752_activism_it-doesn-t-pay-well-to-fight-for-what-we_1471971.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6f/lillian-hellman-4752_activism_it-doesn-t-pay-well-to-fight-for-what-we_1471971.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6f/lillian-hellman-4752_activism_it-doesn-t-pay-well-to-fight-for-what-we_1471971.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It doesn't pay well to fight for what we believe in.” — Lillian Hellman", "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": "Lillian Hellman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It doesn't pay well to fight...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/it-doesn-t-pay-well-to-fight-for-what-we-believe-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/it-doesn-t-pay-well-to-fight-for-what-we-believe-in/#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 } } ] } ```