--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The press is so powerful in its…" description: "\"The press is so powerful in its image-making role, it can make a criminal look like he's the victim and make the victim look like he's the criminal. Th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce1/malcolm-x-213_careful_the-press-is-so-powerful-in-its-image-ma_2910248.jpg" --- # The press is so powerful in its image-making role, it can… ![“The press is so powerful in its image-making role, it can make a criminal look like he's the victim and make the victim look like he's the criminal. This is the press, an irresponsible press. If you aren't careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed and loving…” quote by Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce1/malcolm-x-213_careful_the-press-is-so-powerful-in-its-image-ma_2910248.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce1/malcolm-x-213_careful_the-press-is-so-powerful-in-its-image-ma_2910248.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce1/malcolm-x-213_careful_the-press-is-so-powerful-in-its-image-ma_2910248.jpg) > “The press is so powerful in its image-making role, it can make a criminal look like he's the victim and make the victim look like he's the criminal. This is the press, an irresponsible press. If you aren't careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.” [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The press can manipulate narratives, turning victims into villains and vice versa, showing media power and irresponsibility. **In simple terms:** Media can invert truth. Key Takeaway Critically evaluate news. Themes media bias propaganda power Mood critical alert Type analytical political When to use this quote - journalism - activism - public discourse Key Concepts political science communication studies Questions to Reflect On - How do you verify information? - What responsibilities do journalists have? A Different Perspective Media literacy is uneven worldwide. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Careful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/careful/) [Criminal Press](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criminal-press-4186908/) [Criminals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criminals/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Irresponsible Press](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irresponsible-press-4186910/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Make Criminal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-criminal-2263468/) [Newspapers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/newspapers/) [Newspapers Hating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/newspapers-hating-3919783/) [Oppressed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppressed/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Powerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerful/) [Press Irresponsible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/press-irresponsible-4186909/) [Roles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roles/) [Victim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victim/) ## Related quotes > [The press is so powerful in its image-making role, it can make the criminal look like he's a the victim and make the victim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/the-press-is-so-powerful-in-its-image-making-role-it-can-make-the/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/if-you-re-not-careful-the-newspapers-will-have-you-hating-the-people/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [With the greatest respect, we do not make the criminal law on the basis of opinion polls. A majority of 9:1 could be in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clarke/with-the-greatest-respect-we-do-not-make-the-criminal-law-on-the/) [Kenneth Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clarke/) > [In a free society, a large degree of human activity is none of the government's business. We should make criminal what's going to hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/in-a-free-society-a-large-degree-of-human-activity-is-none-of-the/) [Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/) > [Time is on the side of the oppressed today, it's against the oppressor. Truth is on the side of the oppressed today, it's against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/time-is-on-the-side-of-the-oppressed-today-it-s-against-the-oppressor/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I think as an intelligent person you would agree that when you are teaching among oppressed people that they should be relieved of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/i-think-as-an-intelligent-person-you-would-agree-that-when-you-are/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The British Empire was so vast and so powerful, the sun would never set on it. This is how big it was, yet these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/the-british-empire-was-so-vast-and-so-powerful-the-sun-would-never/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Truth is on the side of the oppressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/truth-is-on-the-side-of-the-oppressed/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I believe that there will be ultimately be a clash between the oppressed and those who do the oppressing. I believe that there will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/i-believe-that-there-will-be-ultimately-be-a-clash-between-the/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [We Muslims believe that the white race, which is guilty of having oppressed and exploited and enslaved our people here in America, should and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/we-muslims-believe-that-the-white-race-which-is-guilty-of-having/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Truth is on the side of the oppressed today, it's against the oppressor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/truth-is-on-the-side-of-the-oppressed-today-it-s-against-the-oppressor/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The oppressed martyrs of our culture have shed blood that nourish the red tulips of our nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahmud-tarzi/the-oppressed-martyrs-of-our-culture-have-shed-blood-that-nourish-the/) [Mahmud Tarzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahmud-tarzi/) > [There remains an experience of incomparable value . . . to see the great events of world history from below; from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/there-remains-an-experience-of-incomparable-value-to-see-the-great/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [ \[U\]nless oppressed groups stick together, and on alliances of self interest rather than do-goodism; nothing can be accomplished in the long run to dismantle… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shulamith-firestone/u-nless-oppressed-groups-stick-together-and-on-alliances-of-self/) [Shulamith Firestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shulamith-firestone/) > [I do not want a kingdom, or heaven; what I want is to remove the trouble of the oppressed, the poor, and the needy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-a-kingdom-or-heaven-what-i-want-is-to-remove-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) ## More by Malcolm X > [If Christianity had asserted itself in Germany, six million Jews would have lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/if-christianity-had-asserted-itself-in-germany-six-million-jews-would/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Adam Clayton Powell's entire political career has to be looked at in the entire context of the American history and the history of, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/adam-clayton-powell-s-entire-political-career-has-to-be-looked-at-in/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [American civil rights leader, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Lynching is a murder. For the past four hundred years our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/american-civil-rights-leader-where-do-we-go-from-here-chaos-or/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Be nonviolent only with those who are nonviolent to you. And when you can bring me a nonviolent racist, bring me a nonviolent segregationist,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/be-nonviolent-only-with-those-who-are-nonviolent-to-you-and-when-you/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [You can't legislate good will - that comes through education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/you-can-t-legislate-good-will-that-comes-through-education/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Truth is on the side of the oppressed today, it's against the oppressor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/truth-is-on-the-side-of-the-oppressed-today-it-s-against-the-oppressor/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Those type of whites who are always going to jail with Negroes are the ones who tell Negroes to be loving and be kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/those-type-of-whites-who-are-always-going-to-jail-with-negroes-are/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [We Muslims believe that the white race, which is guilty of having oppressed and exploited and enslaved our people here in America, should and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/we-muslims-believe-that-the-white-race-which-is-guilty-of-having/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I mean a real police state just to get a token recognition of a law. It take, it took, I think, 15,000 troops and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/i-mean-a-real-police-state-just-to-get-a-token-recognition-of-a-law/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Like Samson, I am ready to pull down the white man's temple, knowing full well that I will be destroyed by the falling rubble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/like-samson-i-am-ready-to-pull-down-the-white-man-s-temple-knowing/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Any negro who occupies a position that was given to him by the white man, if you analyze his function, his function never enables…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/any-negro-who-occupies-a-position-that-was-given-to-him-by-the-white/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Stumbling is not falling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/stumbling-is-not-falling/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [God is going to punish the white man for his misdeeds toward black people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/god-is-going-to-punish-the-white-man-for-his-misdeeds-toward-black/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Much of what I say might sound like it's stirring up trouble, but it's the truth!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/much-of-what-i-say-might-sound-like-it-s-stirring-up-trouble-but-it-s/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I believe in the brotherhood of all men, but I don't believe in wasting brotherhood on anyone who doesn't want to practice it with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/i-believe-in-the-brotherhood-of-all-men-but-i-don-t-believe-in/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) [Explore all 891 Malcolm X quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) ## More Careful quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [“Only careful political manoeuvring will be able to manage the situation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davan-yahya-khalil/only-careful-political-manoeuvring-will-be-able-to-manage-the/) [Davan Yahya Khalil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davan-yahya-khalil/) > [Be careful. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to the worst Spanish student in the history of the language.” I laughed. “No problemo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/be-careful-i-wouldn-t-want-anything-to-happen-to-the-worst-spanish/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [If I held all the thoughts of the world in my hand, I would be careful not to open it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/if-i-held-all-the-thoughts-of-the-world-in-my-hand-i-would-be-careful/) [Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/) > [Physical beauty is not everything, but the beauty is more careful than anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/physical-beauty-is-not-everything-but-the-beauty-is-more-careful-than/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you think about what you do, if you become self-conscious about it, you've got to be very careful. Because I really like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-morgan/if-you-think-about-what-you-do-if-you-become-self-conscious-about-it/) [Peter Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-morgan/) > [You've got to be careful against classy fighters, especially counter-punchers because if you go for the finish too early, you can end up getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-froch/you-ve-got-to-be-careful-against-classy-fighters-especially-counter/) [Carl Froch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-froch/) > [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-fare-that-s-darned-good-advice/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [Be careful the friends you choose for you will become like them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-clement-stone-2/be-careful-the-friends-you-choose-for-you-will-become-like-them/) [W Clement Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-clement-stone-2/) > [A woman who is careful with her words is a gift to all who know her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysa-terkeurst/a-woman-who-is-careful-with-her-words-is-a-gift-to-all-who-know-her/) [Lysa TerKeurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysa-terkeurst/) > [We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character--that is the goal of true education. 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