--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Public opinion, though slow as lava, in…" description: "\"Public opinion, though slow as lava, in the end forces governments towards more sanity, more justice. My heroes and heroines are all private citizens.\"..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60a/martha-gellhorn-8061_citizens_public-opinion-though-slow-as-lava-in-th_311154.jpg" --- # Public opinion, though slow as lava, in the end forces… ![“Public opinion, though slow as lava, in the end forces governments towards more sanity, more justice. My heroes and heroines are all private citizens.” quote by Martha Gellhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60a/martha-gellhorn-8061_citizens_public-opinion-though-slow-as-lava-in-th_311154.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60a/martha-gellhorn-8061_citizens_public-opinion-though-slow-as-lava-in-th_311154.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60a/martha-gellhorn-8061_citizens_public-opinion-though-slow-as-lava-in-th_311154.jpg) > “Public opinion, though slow as lava, in the end forces governments towards more sanity, more justice. My heroes and heroines are all private citizens.” [Martha Gellhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-gellhorn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Public sentiment, even when gradual, eventually compels authorities to act more rationally and fairly. **In simple terms:** Public opinion slowly pushes governments to be sensible and just. Key Takeaway Listen to the people’s voice. Themes public opinion government justice citizen empowerment Mood reflective determined Type political social When to use this quote - policy reform - human rights advocacy - community organizing Key Concepts social change collective pressure democratic accountability Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens amplify their influence? - What obstacles hinder public pressure? A Different Perspective Change can be slow and may face resistance from entrenched interests. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) [Heroes and heroines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heroes-and-heroines/) [Heroines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heroines/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Lava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lava/) [My hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-hero/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Public opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-opinion/) [Sanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sanity/) ## Related quotes > [Consistency in opinion is the slow poison of intellectual life, the destroyer of its vividness and energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/humphry-davy/consistency-in-opinion-is-the-slow-poison-of-intellectual-life-the/) [Humphry Davy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/humphry-davy/) > [I do genuinely believe that the political system is not linear. When it reaches a tipping point fashioned by a critical mass of opinion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/i-do-genuinely-believe-that-the-political-system-is-not-linear-when/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [There must be hundreds of unsung heroes and heroines who first tasted strange things growing - and think of the man who first ate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gladys-taber/there-must-be-hundreds-of-unsung-heroes-and-heroines-who-first-tasted/) [Gladys Taber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gladys-taber/) > [I think there need to be more female action heroines out there that are intelligent and not overly masculine and things like that so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-elizabeth-winstead/i-think-there-need-to-be-more-female-action-heroines-out-there-that/) [Mary Elizabeth Winstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-elizabeth-winstead/) > [The purpose of art is to reflect new emerging values and to define the new heroes and heroines so that people can absorb them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/the-purpose-of-art-is-to-reflect-new-emerging-values-and-to-define/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [In fiction, as in real life, love might inspire acts that are at best foolish and at worst life-threatening, but in the best romances,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-maclean/in-fiction-as-in-real-life-love-might-inspire-acts-that-are-at-best/) [Sarah MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-maclean/) > [Regarding heroism, I grew up in a culture where you learn about heroes and heroines all the time. 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True art aims to, represent men and women, not as my little self would have them, but as they appear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ouida/nature-i-believe-in-true-art-aims-to-represent-men-and-women-not-as/) [Ouida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ouida/) > [Inflation is not caused by the actions of private citizens, but by the government: by an artificial expansion of the money supply required to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/inflation-is-not-caused-by-the-actions-of-private-citizens-but-by-the/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) ## More by Martha Gellhorn > [Nothing is better for self-esteem than survival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-gellhorn/nothing-is-better-for-self-esteem-than-survival/) [Martha Gellhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-gellhorn/) > [All politicians are bores and liars and fakes. I talk to people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-gellhorn/all-politicians-are-bores-and-liars-and-fakes-i-talk-to-people/) [Martha Gellhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-gellhorn/) > [“This was not the velvet embracing desert sky at El Geneina; this was infinite space. The idea of no boundaries, no end, is terrifying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-gellhorn/this-was-not-the-velvet-embracing-desert-sky-at-el-geneina-this-was/) [Martha Gellhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-gellhorn/) > [I do not see myself as a footnote to someone else's life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-gellhorn/i-do-not-see-myself-as-a-footnote-to-someone-else-s-life/) [Martha Gellhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-gellhorn/) > [the English don't go in for imagination: imagination is considered to be improper if not downright alarmist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-gellhorn/the-english-don-t-go-in-for-imagination-imagination-is-considered-to/) [Martha Gellhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-gellhorn/) > [My definition of what makes a journey wholly or partially horrible is boredom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-gellhorn/my-definition-of-what-makes-a-journey-wholly-or-partially-horrible-is/) [Martha Gellhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-gellhorn/) > [Joseph McCarthy, the Junior Republican Senator from Wisconsin, ruled America like devil king for four years. 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