--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I may have come into politics with an…" description: "\"I may have come into politics with an unacknowledged condescension toward the game and the people who played it, but I left with more respect for polit..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae2/michael-ignatieff-3146_best_i-may-have-come-into-politics-with-an-un_860849.jpg" --- # I may have come into politics with an unacknowledged… ![“I may have come into politics with an unacknowledged condescension toward the game and the people who played it, but I left with more respect for politicians than when I went in. The worst of them - the careerists and predators - you find in all professions. The best of them were a credit to…” quote by Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae2/michael-ignatieff-3146_best_i-may-have-come-into-politics-with-an-un_860849.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae2/michael-ignatieff-3146_best_i-may-have-come-into-politics-with-an-un_860849.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae2/michael-ignatieff-3146_best_i-may-have-come-into-politics-with-an-un_860849.jpg) > “I may have come into politics with an unacknowledged condescension toward the game and the people who played it, but I left with more respect for politicians than when I went in. The worst of them - the careerists and predators - you find in all professions. The best of them were a credit to democracy.” [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Political engagement reveals both corruption and dedication, reshaping respect for public servants. **In simple terms:** Politics shows both bad and good people. Key Takeaway Judge politicians by actions, not stereotypes. Themes politics respect disillusionment Mood reflective critical Type analytical thoughtful When to use this quote - voting - activism - policy analysis Key Concepts public service ethical leadership Questions to Reflect On - What qualities define a good politician? - How can citizens hold leaders accountable? A Different Perspective Idealism can be shattered by systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Credit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/credit/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politicians/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Predators](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/predators/) [Professions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/professions/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) ## Related quotes > [I grew up in Ireland, so I do not have a lot of respect for most politicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine-guinness/i-grew-up-in-ireland-so-i-do-not-have-a-lot-of-respect-for-most/) [Jasmine Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine-guinness/) > [I've got less respect for our politicians, for instance, who are not worried or apparently don't even consider the fact that Apple and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-robertson/i-ve-got-less-respect-for-our-politicians-for-instance-who-are-not/) [Julian Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-robertson/) > [“Public respect for politicians has long been declining, even as the population at large has been seduced into responding to each new problem by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-minogue/public-respect-for-politicians-has-long-been-declining-even-as-the/) [Kenneth Minogue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-minogue/) > [I've developed a much greater respect for our politicians and every high-tech CEO. It's very easy to read about the things they did that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-saylor/i-ve-developed-a-much-greater-respect-for-our-politicians-and-every/) [Michael J. Saylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-saylor/) > [If we haven't got democracy, what have we got?... It is about the respect of politicians, it's building trust with our constituents. It's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-hoyle/if-we-haven-t-got-democracy-what-have-we-got-it-is-about-the-respect/) [Lindsay Hoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-hoyle/) > [“I respect ordinary thieves much more than I respect politicians. Ordinary thieves take my money without pretense. Unlike typical politicians, these thieves don’t bore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-williams/i-respect-ordinary-thieves-much-more-than-i-respect-politicians/) [Walter Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-williams/) > [My respect for politicians has increased. 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Therefore, nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mayawati/when-i-decided-to-come-into-politics-the-one-thing-that-i-had-in-my/) [Mayawati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mayawati/) > [Politics matter, but politics can't come first. If politics come first in your life, something is wrong with you. It's a sad thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-sasse/politics-matter-but-politics-can-t-come-first-if-politics-come-first/) [Ben Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-sasse/) ## More by Michael Ignatieff > [The Only cure for nihilism is for liberal democratic societies - their electorates, their judiciary, and their political leadership- to insist that force is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/the-only-cure-for-nihilism-is-for-liberal-democratic-societies-their/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) > [What really matters is getting new people in. 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