--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Social movements throughout history take…" description: "\"Social movements throughout history take place in people's minds. If we got 5,000 Americans who were talking about climate change to their neighbors an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc0/margaret-d-klein-29800_arrested_social-movements-throughout-history-take_2438012.jpg" --- # Social movements throughout history take place in people's… ![“Social movements throughout history take place in people's minds. If we got 5,000 Americans who were talking about climate change to their neighbors and to their coworkers, and talking about this pledge, that would change the political and social landscape so much more than if 5,000 people got…” quote by Margaret D. Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc0/margaret-d-klein-29800_arrested_social-movements-throughout-history-take_2438012.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc0/margaret-d-klein-29800_arrested_social-movements-throughout-history-take_2438012.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc0/margaret-d-klein-29800_arrested_social-movements-throughout-history-take_2438012.jpg) > “Social movements throughout history take place in people's minds. If we got 5,000 Americans who were talking about climate change to their neighbors and to their coworkers, and talking about this pledge, that would change the political and social landscape so much more than if 5,000 people got arrested for protesting a pipeline.” [Margaret D. Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-d-klein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ideas spread through conversation can reshape public opinion faster than direct protest actions. **In simple terms:** Talking about climate change can shift politics more than arrests. Key Takeaway Encourage dialogue to drive change. Themes social influence communication politics environment activism Mood hopeful determined Type motivational strategic When to use this quote - community meetings - workplace discussions - neighbor conversations - online forums Key Concepts social diffusion public opinion formation grassroots mobilization Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure conversations lead to concrete action? - What barriers stop ideas from spreading? A Different Perspective Conversation alone may not overcome entrenched interests or misinformation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arrested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrested/) [Change Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-political-273596/) [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Climate change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate-change/) [Coworker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coworker/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Landscape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/landscape/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement/) [Neighbor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neighbor/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Pipeline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pipeline/) [Pledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pledge/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Protesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protesting/) [Protesting Pipeline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protesting-pipeline-364895/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social movements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-movements/) [Talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking/) [Talking Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking-climate-364896/) ## Related quotes > [Politicians have responsibility to act if the public opinion changes. Flooding, storms, droughts are all getting people talking about climate change. I wonder if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-titley/politicians-have-responsibility-to-act-if-the-public-opinion-changes-2/) [David Titley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-titley/) > [Having an energy conversation without talking about climate is like talking about smoking and not talking about cancer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hayes/having-an-energy-conversation-without-talking-about-climate-is-like/) [Chris Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hayes/) > [What the food industry should be talking about? Climate change. It should be talking about the industrialization of food. It should be talking about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominique-crenn/what-the-food-industry-should-be-talking-about-climate-change-it/) [Dominique Crenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominique-crenn/) > [“Today, everyone thinks we need to stay positive and hopeful and not be completely honest about what we are seeing, what we know to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/today-everyone-thinks-we-need-to-stay-positive-and-hopeful-and-not-be/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [It's been encouraging to hear the pope talking about climate change and take it away from being a political issue to being one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-bryant/it-s-been-encouraging-to-hear-the-pope-talking-about-climate-change/) [Joy Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-bryant/) > [Change or be changed, right? And what we mean by that is that climate change, if we don't change course, if we don't change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/change-or-be-changed-right-and-what-we-mean-by-that-is-that-climate/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [On the contrary a film can promote the idea of change without any political message whatsoever but in its form and language can tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wim-wenders/on-the-contrary-a-film-can-promote-the-idea-of-change-without-any/) [Wim Wenders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wim-wenders/) > [Society has to change, but the political powers we have at the moment are not enough to effect this change. The whole democratic system…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/society-has-to-change-but-the-political-powers-we-have-at-the-moment/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [Your race and gender don't change, but you can choose to change your political affiliation at will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/your-race-and-gender-don-t-change-but-you-can-choose-to-change-your/) [John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/) > [There's no unifying brand about me other than I'm a writer who shares my thoughts. Sometimes my thoughts are designed to help people, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-cernovich/there-s-no-unifying-brand-about-me-other-than-i-m-a-writer-who-shares/) [Mike Cernovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-cernovich/) > [We have got to change the political culture in America. We need a political revolution. That means we are working on politics not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/we-have-got-to-change-the-political-culture-in-america-we-need-a/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [I try not to change my political point of view from paper to paper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-shapiro/i-try-not-to-change-my-political-point-of-view-from-paper-to-paper/) [Jonathan Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-shapiro/) > [Activists are generally doers - rather than watching television and thinking about the world they will put there energies into doing something 'active' to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-edwards/activists-are-generally-doers-rather-than-watching-television-and/) [Ben Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-edwards/) > [Women need to see ourselves as individuals capable of creating change. That is what political and economic power is all about: having a voice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-m-kunin/women-need-to-see-ourselves-as-individuals-capable-of-creating-change/) [Madeleine M. Kunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-m-kunin/) > [It's hard to change adults, and it's hard to change it from a political position or a perceived political position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/it-s-hard-to-change-adults-and-it-s-hard-to-change-it-from-a/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) ## More by Margaret D. Klein > [Climate change is the sine qua non of continued civilization. We either solve this, or it's lights out. Turning into a collective like that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-d-klein/climate-change-is-the-sine-qua-non-of-continued-civilization-we/) [Margaret D. Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-d-klein/) > [With climate change, of course there are things to grieve. I certainly grieved that the vision that I had for my life, that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-d-klein/with-climate-change-of-course-there-are-things-to-grieve-i-certainly/) [Margaret D. Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-d-klein/) > [Climate change has been associated so much with a peaceful mentality - obviously peace and love are good, but we need to think about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-d-klein/climate-change-has-been-associated-so-much-with-a-peaceful-mentality/) [Margaret D. Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-d-klein/) > [While the American people have the impression that scientists are hard at work figuring out this complex matter of climate change, it's not actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-d-klein/while-the-american-people-have-the-impression-that-scientists-are/) [Margaret D. Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-d-klein/) > [Online petitions are built around getting as many signatures as possible. But the experience of taking them and forgetting about them degrades the importance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-d-klein/online-petitions-are-built-around-getting-as-many-signatures-as/) [Margaret D. Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-d-klein/) > [Psychologically speaking, the rational, healthy response to climate change is to say to oneself, "What can I do about this?" But that question is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-d-klein/psychologically-speaking-the-rational-healthy-response-to-climate/) [Margaret D. Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-d-klein/) > [Taking fear seriously is not easy. A lot of people's response to fear is "Don't worry so much, it's crazy." But some things absolutely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-d-klein/taking-fear-seriously-is-not-easy-a-lot-of-people-s-response-to-fear/) [Margaret D. Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-d-klein/) > [There are a lot of reasons people don't talk about climate change. One of them has to do with the language of science, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-d-klein/there-are-a-lot-of-reasons-people-don-t-talk-about-climate-change-one/) [Margaret D. Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-d-klein/) > [I used to be a lot more afraid of climate change. Now I spend my time working, planning, trying to move forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-d-klein/i-used-to-be-a-lot-more-afraid-of-climate-change-now-i-spend-my-time/) [Margaret D. Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-d-klein/) > [I think 99% of climate scientists would agree that we need to reduce emissions as quickly as possible, and then begin removing greenhouse gasses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-d-klein/i-think-99-of-climate-scientists-would-agree-that-we-need-to-reduce/) [Margaret D. Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-d-klein/) > [I think it's very important to invite and encourage people to talk about climate change who have a lay understanding. In general, there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-d-klein/i-think-it-s-very-important-to-invite-and-encourage-people-to-talk/) [Margaret D. Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-d-klein/) > [By looking the other way on climate change we facilitate a collective denial, and we do it for each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-d-klein/by-looking-the-other-way-on-climate-change-we-facilitate-a-collective/) [Margaret D. Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-d-klein/) > [The problem is so severe that trying to say, "First we'll fix the government and then we'll tackle climate change," or, "First we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-d-klein/the-problem-is-so-severe-that-trying-to-say-first-we-ll-fix-the/) [Margaret D. Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-d-klein/) > [My grandmother is a Holocaust survivor. Some heroes of mine have long been the Jewish Partisans, these young people who just went into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-d-klein/my-grandmother-is-a-holocaust-survivor-some-heroes-of-mine-have-long/) [Margaret D. Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-d-klein/) > [What we accomplished during World War Two is just amazing. We turned our country upside down. African Americans were demanding to be given combat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-d-klein/what-we-accomplished-during-world-war-two-is-just-amazing-we-turned/) [Margaret D. Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-d-klein/) [Explore all 18 Margaret D. Klein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-d-klein/) ## More Arrested quotes > [Impulse arrested spills over, and the flood is feeling, the flood is passion, the flood is even madness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/impulse-arrested-spills-over-and-the-flood-is-feeling-the-flood-is/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [On stage you're free. You can say and do things that if you said and did any place else, you'd be arrested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/on-stage-you-re-free-you-can-say-and-do-things-that-if-you-said-and/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [a TEN-YEAR-OLD lad in Indianapolis who was arrested for picking up coal along the side of railroad tracks is now in jail. If the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-jones/a-ten-year-old-lad-in-indianapolis-who-was-arrested-for-picking-up/) [Mother Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-jones/) > [Fame is like a big eraser. It's strange, now that I'm famous. In my parents' opinion, all the shitty things - all the wreckage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobcat-goldthwait/fame-is-like-a-big-eraser-it-s-strange-now-that-i-m-famous-in-my/) [Bobcat Goldthwait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobcat-goldthwait/) > [When men are arrested without any legal basis and for political reasons, it's merely a routine, everyday occurrence in Russia, and hardly anyone has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexei-navalny/when-men-are-arrested-without-any-legal-basis-and-for-political/) [Alexei Navalny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexei-navalny/) > [Helen Crawfurd and the Women's Peace Crusade, made a march on the City Chambers, distributing an illegal leaflet in front of police and even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-gallacher/helen-crawfurd-and-the-women-s-peace-crusade-made-a-march-on-the-city/) [Willie Gallacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-gallacher/) > [I just put myself in a hotel and was smoking coke for a while. Then I met up with the wrong people. I ended…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-wallice/i-just-put-myself-in-a-hotel-and-was-smoking-coke-for-a-while-then-i/) [Marc Wallice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-wallice/) > [My father was pretty independent. He was - he was arrested once in Nashville when he was on one of his sales trips because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-hentoff/my-father-was-pretty-independent-he-was-he-was-arrested-once-in/) [Nat Hentoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-hentoff/) > [I was arrested on graduation night for breaking and entering into the high school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-anderson/i-was-arrested-on-graduation-night-for-breaking-and-entering-into-the/) [Gillian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-anderson/) > [On my recent trip to the Mexico border, Border Patrol agents in California told me they have arrested the same coyotes 20 times, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ric-keller/on-my-recent-trip-to-the-mexico-border-border-patrol-agents-in/) [Ric Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ric-keller/) > [You tell people that all the time, 'Jail's the worst place ever and you don't want to go there,' which is true but at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-glover/you-tell-people-that-all-the-time-jail-s-the-worst-place-ever-and-you/) [Stephen Glover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-glover/) > [“But Daddy, I never knew that's what you expected of me. I mean on the plus side, I've never been arrested or anything..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-smith/but-daddy-i-never-knew-that-s-what-you-expected-of-me-i-mean-on-the/) [Andrea Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-smith/) > [There is the possibility to be suddenly arrested for hacking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-elbakyan/there-is-the-possibility-to-be-suddenly-arrested-for-hacking/) [Alexandra Elbakyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-elbakyan/) > [“I don’t do drugs, I’ve never been arrested, and from what I hear, I’m not too shabby in bed. Not that any of you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-peterfreund/i-don-t-do-drugs-i-ve-never-been-arrested-and-from-what-i-hear-i-m/) [Diana Peterfreund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-peterfreund/) > [ I'd been arrested many times by then. I'd been an organizer, so many things had changed over those three years \[from 1965 till 1968\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/i-d-been-arrested-many-times-by-then-i-d-been-an-organizer-so-many/) [Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/) [Browse all 480 Arrested quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrested/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Social movements throughout history take place in people's minds. If we got 5,000 Americans who were talking about climate change to their neighbors and to their coworkers, and talking about this pledge, that would change the political and social landscape so much more than if 5,000 people got arrested for protesting a pipeline.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Margaret D. 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