--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You think that the things that matter are…" description: "\"“You think that the things that matter are more difficult than words - to retreat from a confrontation, for instance, to work at changing something, tr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fae/madeleine-thien-26559_confrontation_you-think-that-the-things-that-matter-ar_2729832.jpg" --- # You think that the things that matter are more difficult… ![“You think that the things that matter are more difficult than words - to retreat from a confrontation, for instance, to work at changing something, truly changing something." She lifted her hand toward the bodies and the tanks. "Ai-ming, you're studying history to prepare for the examinations…” quote by Madeleine Thien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fae/madeleine-thien-26559_confrontation_you-think-that-the-things-that-matter-ar_2729832.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fae/madeleine-thien-26559_confrontation_you-think-that-the-things-that-matter-ar_2729832.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fae/madeleine-thien-26559_confrontation_you-think-that-the-things-that-matter-ar_2729832.jpg) > ““You think that the things that matter are more difficult than words - to retreat from a confrontation, for instance, to work at changing something, truly changing something." She lifted her hand toward the bodies and the tanks. "Ai-ming, you're studying history to prepare for the examinations. What if revolution and violence are the only way?”” [Madeleine Thien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-thien/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that confronting difficult truths and taking decisive action, even through violence, may be necessary to effect real change. **In simple terms:** Change may require confronting hard truths and sometimes violence. Key Takeaway Consider the cost of action versus inaction. Themes revolution violence change confrontation Mood tense urgent reflective Type political philosophical When to use this quote - activism - political protest - personal decision making - historical study Key Concepts political theory ethical dilemma social upheaval Questions to Reflect On - Is violence ever justified for change? - What alternatives exist to violent revolt? A Different Perspective Violence may create new problems and moral costs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Confrontation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confrontation/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolution/) [Studying history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/studying-history/) [Things that matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-that-matter/) ## Related quotes > [“Revere those things beyond science which really matter and about which it is so difficult to speak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-heisenberg/revere-those-things-beyond-science-which-really-matter-and-about/) [Werner Heisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-heisenberg/) > [You should keep on painting no matter how difficult it is, because this is all part of experience, and the more experience you have,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-neel/you-should-keep-on-painting-no-matter-how-difficult-it-is-because/) [Alice Neel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-neel/) > [No matter how difficult the situation is, it won't last forever. What follows the night is the day. What follows the winter is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/no-matter-how-difficult-the-situation-is-it-won-t-last-forever-what/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [Fight for the things you love, no matter how difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/fight-for-the-things-you-love-no-matter-how-difficult/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [We may not be the best of what we are. We may not talk often. You may cry without me knowing. But I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoheb/we-may-not-be-the-best-of-what-we-are-we-may-not-talk-often-you-may/) [Zoheb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoheb/) > [“Great character is not developed through ease and convenience but through doing NOW what needs to be done no matter how difficult it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/great-character-is-not-developed-through-ease-and-convenience-but/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [Never let yourself be seduced by any problem, no matter how difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/never-let-yourself-be-seduced-by-any-problem-no-matter-how-difficult/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Everybody, at some point in their life, has fallen down and not felt like getting back up, but you have to, no matter how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-hunnam/everybody-at-some-point-in-their-life-has-fallen-down-and-not-felt/) [Charlie Hunnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-hunnam/) > [In the matter of a difficult question it is more likely that the truth should have been discovered by the few than by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-descartes/in-the-matter-of-a-difficult-question-it-is-more-likely-that-the/) [Rene Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-descartes/) > [No matter who you are, no matter how difficult things might appear to be, you are always being moved towards magnificence. 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Taking college classes was just something I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nola-ochs/the-yearning-for-study-was-always-there-i-loved-to-learn-i-really/) [Nola Ochs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nola-ochs/) > [most scientific problems are far better understood by studying their history than their logic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernst-mayr/most-scientific-problems-are-far-better-understood-by-studying-their/) [Ernst Mayr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernst-mayr/) > [“History is one long chain of reflections. Hegel also indicated certain rules that apply for this chain of reflections. Anyone studying history in depth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/history-is-one-long-chain-of-reflections-hegel-also-indicated-certain/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) ## More by Madeleine Thien > [“She wanted to tell them that whatever happened, whatever they chose, one day they would have to come awake, everyone would have to stand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-thien/she-wanted-to-tell-them-that-whatever-happened-whatever-they-chose/) [Madeleine Thien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-thien/) > [“What mattered was the here and now and not the life before, what mattered were the changeable things of today and tomorrow and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-thien/what-mattered-was-the-here-and-now-and-not-the-life-before-what/) [Madeleine Thien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-thien/) > [“Bertolt Brecht: I would also like to be wise. In the old books it says what wisdom is: To shun the strife of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-thien/bertolt-brecht-i-would-also-like-to-be-wise-in-the-old-books-it-says/) [Madeleine Thien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-thien/) > [“The things you experience," she continued, "are written on your cells as memories and patterns, which are reprinted again on the next generation. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-thien/the-things-you-experience-she-continued-are-written-on-your-cells-as/) [Madeleine Thien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-thien/) > [“IN THOSE DAYS, your village might change hands every few weeks, one day to the Communists, the next to the Nationalists, the next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-thien/in-those-days-your-village-might-change-hands-every-few-weeks-one-day/) [Madeleine Thien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-thien/) > [“Tomorrow begins from another dawn, when we will be fast asleep.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-thien/tomorrow-begins-from-another-dawn-when-we-will-be-fast-asleep/) [Madeleine Thien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-thien/) > [“He kisses her, and she knows, somehow, that he is asking for help, for an end to the sadness they are causing one another.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-thien/he-kisses-her-and-she-knows-somehow-that-he-is-asking-for-help-for-an/) [Madeleine Thien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-thien/) > [“If they want to come for you, they will come, and it doesn't matter what you read or what you failed to read. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-thien/if-they-want-to-come-for-you-they-will-come-and-it-doesn-t-matter/) [Madeleine Thien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-thien/) > [“If some people say what is in their hearts and other people say what glides easily off the tongue, how can we talk to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-thien/if-some-people-say-what-is-in-their-hearts-and-other-people-say-what/) [Madeleine Thien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-thien/) > [“When she returned, she was full of life, impassioned. She seemed to want change, within herself, between them, and she believed all things were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-thien/when-she-returned-she-was-full-of-life-impassioned-she-seemed-to-want/) [Madeleine Thien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-thien/) > [“She saw a soldier strike a boy ahead of her with his baton. Behind him, a girl turned and spat in the soldier’s face.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-thien/she-saw-a-soldier-strike-a-boy-ahead-of-her-with-his-baton-behind-him/) [Madeleine Thien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-thien/) > [I like to think of home as a verb, something we keep recreating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-thien/i-like-to-think-of-home-as-a-verb-something-we-keep-recreating/) [Madeleine Thien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-thien/) > [“How does a copy become more than a copy? Is art the creation of something new and original, or simply the continuous enlargement, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-thien/how-does-a-copy-become-more-than-a-copy-is-art-the-creation-of/) [Madeleine Thien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-thien/) > [“What was misfortune but the quality of existing as something, or someone else, inside?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-thien/what-was-misfortune-but-the-quality-of-existing-as-something-or/) [Madeleine Thien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-thien/) > [“I've got nothing to offer you kids but these noodles. They're good noodles but they won't change the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-thien/i-ve-got-nothing-to-offer-you-kids-but-these-noodles-they-re-good/) [Madeleine Thien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-thien/) [Explore all 21 Madeleine Thien quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-thien/) ## More Confrontation quotes > [Because after you've crossed some lines, you just keep crossing them. And there's no escaping from constant escape. Distracting ourselves. Avoiding confrontation. Getting past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/because-after-you-ve-crossed-some-lines-you-just-keep-crossing-them/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [One of the most basic principles for making and keeping peace within and between nations. . . is that in political, military, moral, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/one-of-the-most-basic-principles-for-making-and-keeping-peace-within/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [I cannot do confrontation. You know that fight or flight thing? I'm flight. I just don't want the argument.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-saunders/i-cannot-do-confrontation-you-know-that-fight-or-flight-thing-i-m/) [Jennifer Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-saunders/) > [The greatest reward of this constant interrogation, confrontation with the brutality of my country, is that it has freed me from hosts and myths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ta-nehisi-coates/the-greatest-reward-of-this-constant-interrogation-confrontation-with/) [Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ta-nehisi-coates/) > [People of our time are losing the power of celebration. Instead of celebrating we seek to be amused or entertained. Celebration is an active…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/people-of-our-time-are-losing-the-power-of-celebration-instead-of/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [“Mother Fuckers. They're going to feel pretty stupid when they find out. They're fucking with the wrong people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kirkman/mother-fuckers-they-re-going-to-feel-pretty-stupid-when-they-find-out/) [Robert Kirkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kirkman/) > [To be robbed and betrayed by a fiendish underground conspiracy, or by the earthly agents of Satan, is at least a romantic sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-taibbi/to-be-robbed-and-betrayed-by-a-fiendish-underground-conspiracy-or-by/) [Matt Taibbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-taibbi/) > [One of the only coherent philosophical positions is thus revolt. It is a constant confrontation between man and his own obscurity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/one-of-the-only-coherent-philosophical-positions-is-thus-revolt-it-is/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Any racial reconciliation we've had in this country has come not out of confrontation but out of a spirit of reconciliation. If we continue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-young/any-racial-reconciliation-we-ve-had-in-this-country-has-come-not-out/) [Andrew Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-young/) > [I believe that it's important to not just shy away from confrontation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kaulitz/i-believe-that-it-s-important-to-not-just-shy-away-from-confrontation/) [Bill Kaulitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kaulitz/) > [If our free society is to endure, those who govern must recognize human dignity and accept the enforcement of constitutional limitations on their power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/if-our-free-society-is-to-endure-those-who-govern-must-recognize/) [William J. 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