--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The cartoonist’s task is not so much to…" description: "\"The cartoonist’s task is not so much to be balanced as to give balance, particularly in situations of disproportionate power relationships such as we s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/136/michael-leunig-2274_balance_the-cartoonist-s-task-is-not-so-much-to_1525962.png" --- # The cartoonist’s task is not so much to be balanced as to… ![“The cartoonist’s task is not so much to be balanced as to give balance, particularly in situations of disproportionate power relationships such as we see in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.” quote by Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/136/michael-leunig-2274_balance_the-cartoonist-s-task-is-not-so-much-to_1525962.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/136/michael-leunig-2274_balance_the-cartoonist-s-task-is-not-so-much-to_1525962.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/136/michael-leunig-2274_balance_the-cartoonist-s-task-is-not-so-much-to_1525962.png) > “The cartoonist’s task is not so much to be balanced as to give balance, particularly in situations of disproportionate power relationships such as we see in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.” [Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Cartoonists should use their art to restore equilibrium in power‑imbalanced situations, not merely stay neutral. **In simple terms:** Cartoons should create balance when power is unequal. Key Takeaway Use art to highlight and correct power imbalances. Themes politics art social justice media power dynamics Mood critical thought‑provoking Type analytical activist When to use this quote - editorial cartoons - human rights campaigns - social media commentary - public protests Key Concepts visual satire ethical responsibility public discourse Questions to Reflect On - How can a cartoon convey seriousness without losing humor? - When does satire become propaganda? A Different Perspective Balancing power through humor can be misread as trivializing serious issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Balance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) [Conflict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Israeli palestinian conflict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israeli-palestinian-conflict/) [Palestinian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/palestinian/) [Power relationships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-relationships/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a tragedy; it is a clash between right and right. And, therefore it's not black and white. Sometimes, recently it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/the-israeli-palestinian-conflict-is-a-tragedy-it-is-a-clash-between/) [Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) > [He is someone who is involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in a fundamental way. Let's start with who Dani Dayan is. He was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lourdes-garcia-navarro/he-is-someone-who-is-involved-in-the-israeli-palestinian-conflict-in/) [Lourdes Garcia-Navarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lourdes-garcia-navarro/) > [The Israeli-Palestinian conflict seems to have been overshadowed by the upheavals in the region. I have followed events there for almost 40 years. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-fischer/the-israeli-palestinian-conflict-seems-to-have-been-overshadowed-by/) [Heinz Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-fischer/) > [The Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Jihadism have nothing to do with each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/the-israeli-palestinian-conflict-and-jihadism-have-nothing-to-do-with/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [If you really wanted to settle down the Middle East, if what you wanted was change in the Middle East, it is perfectly obvious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/if-you-really-wanted-to-settle-down-the-middle-east-if-what-you/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [“I summarize the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as two peaceful peoples who form the majority, caught in the crossfire between extremists who are the minority—each dreaming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mouloud-benzadi/i-summarize-the-israeli-palestinian-conflict-as-two-peaceful-peoples/) [Mouloud Benzadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mouloud-benzadi/) > [The greatest tragedy of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is that everyone knows how it will end. We will divide up the region.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yair-lapid/the-greatest-tragedy-of-the-israeli-palestinian-conflict-is-that/) [Yair Lapid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yair-lapid/) > [If you look at military and intelligence positions from the 1950s, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has always been against American national interests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-look-at-military-and-intelligence-positions-from-the-1950s-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The important issue for us is bringing (people) who recognize the Palestinian people's rights and work on ending the occupation (to the Palestinian territories)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-dahlan/the-important-issue-for-us-is-bringing-people-who-recognize-the/) [Mohammed Dahlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-dahlan/) > [I found that looking at the Israeli/Palestinian conflict from an outside vantage point was actually quite distancing. The history of the conflict, the personalities,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-alexander/i-found-that-looking-at-the-israeli-palestinian-conflict-from-an/) [Jason Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-alexander/) > [Unsettled Middle East, in these times where the people are trying to find their way towards democracy, could be interesting for many reasons -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/unsettled-middle-east-in-these-times-where-the-people-are-trying-to/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [ The issue \[Israeli-Palestinian conflict\], already lasting more than half a century, has brought deep suffering to the Palestinian people and remains an important reason… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xi-jinping/the-issue-israeli-palestinian-conflict-already-lasting-more-than-half/) [Xi Jinping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xi-jinping/) > [As a cartoonist, I am not interested in defending the dominant, the powerful, the well-resourced and the well-armed because such groups are usually not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/as-a-cartoonist-i-am-not-interested-in-defending-the-dominant-the/) [Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/) > [I became a cartoonist because I'd sort of failed at everything else, really. I mean, it was by default.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/i-became-a-cartoonist-because-i-d-sort-of-failed-at-everything-else/) [Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/) > [In my journey as a cartoonist, I seem to have accidentally stumbled into all sorts of traps, damnations and blacklists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/in-my-journey-as-a-cartoonist-i-seem-to-have-accidentally-stumbled/) [Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/) ## More by Michael Leunig > [In my journey as a cartoonist, I seem to have accidentally stumbled into all sorts of traps, damnations and blacklists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/in-my-journey-as-a-cartoonist-i-seem-to-have-accidentally-stumbled/) [Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/) > [Have I got the right to experiment with my child's life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/have-i-got-the-right-to-experiment-with-my-child-s-life/) [Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/) > [There are only two feelings, Love and fear: There are only two languages, Love and fear: There are only two activities, Love and fear:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/there-are-only-two-feelings-love-and-fear-there-are-only-two/) [Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/) > [If European symbols and traditions have grown tired, perfunctory and oppressively banal in Australia, or been drained of spirit and meaning by the dreary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/if-european-symbols-and-traditions-have-grown-tired-perfunctory-and/) [Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/) > [Socialised humanity represses nature and degrades human nature; it takes life and waters it down - probably to control it - diluting existence with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/socialised-humanity-represses-nature-and-degrades-human-nature-it/) [Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/) > [I became a cartoonist because I'd sort of failed at everything else, really. I mean, it was by default.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/i-became-a-cartoonist-because-i-d-sort-of-failed-at-everything-else/) [Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/) > [I never really understood who the Magi were as a child. What is a Magi? Not a word I would use, but a magpie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/i-never-really-understood-who-the-magi-were-as-a-child-what-is-a-magi/) [Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/) > [God bless this tiny little boat, And me who travels in it. It stays afloat for years and years, And sinks within a minute.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/god-bless-this-tiny-little-boat-and-me-who-travels-in-it-it-stays/) [Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/) > [There can be many reasons to travel, but wandering into the world for no particular reason is a sublime madness, which in all its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/there-can-be-many-reasons-to-travel-but-wandering-into-the-world-for/) [Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/) > [I'm totally deaf in my right ear, yeah.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/i-m-totally-deaf-in-my-right-ear-yeah/) [Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/) > [Emotional stability has not been America's gift to the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/emotional-stability-has-not-been-america-s-gift-to-the-world/) [Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/) > [Life seems sadly mishandled by humans, as if it's all too much for them - they spend so much time and energy hurting each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/life-seems-sadly-mishandled-by-humans-as-if-it-s-all-too-much-for/) [Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/) > [If you know anything about ducks, you know a baby duck will imprint itself on you. It misses its mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/if-you-know-anything-about-ducks-you-know-a-baby-duck-will-imprint/) [Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/) > [I think melancholy is part of the natural condition, you know. Anyway, I think it's the artist's function to have their melancholy and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/i-think-melancholy-is-part-of-the-natural-condition-you-know-anyway-i/) [Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/) > [At last, after completing year 12, I failed the great final examination, repeated the following year and failed again even more dismally than before.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/at-last-after-completing-year-12-i-failed-the-great-final-examination/) [Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/) [Explore all 175 Michael Leunig quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/) ## More Balance quotes > [Balance suggests a perfect equilibrium. There is no such thing. That is a false expectation… There are going to be priorities and dimensions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-morrison/balance-suggests-a-perfect-equilibrium-there-is-no-such-thing-that-is/) [Denise Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-morrison/) > [The bones of my architecture are very much related to the structure, to the physical fact of how a building can stand up; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-calatrava/the-bones-of-my-architecture-are-very-much-related-to-the-structure/) [Santiago Calatrava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-calatrava/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [she got a reputation for an easy smile and a sharp tongue, and using one to balance the other, she seemed friendly but distant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/she-got-a-reputation-for-an-easy-smile-and-a-sharp-tongue-and-using/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [Life's unfairness is not irrevocable; we can help balance the scales for others, if not always for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-h-humphrey/life-s-unfairness-is-not-irrevocable-we-can-help-balance-the-scales/) [Hubert H. Humphrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-h-humphrey/) > [“We don't need to strive towards balance, we rather need to work on the obstacles that are preventing the natural flow of balance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-alebraheem/we-don-t-need-to-strive-towards-balance-we-rather-need-to-work-on-the/) [A.A. Alebraheem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-alebraheem/) > [I think that kind of balance comes with the process of growing together as a band, the Little Dragon. We love to write, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yukimi-nagano/i-think-that-kind-of-balance-comes-with-the-process-of-growing/) [Yukimi Nagano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yukimi-nagano/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [At times of recession, running a budget deficit is highly desirable. Once the economy begins to recover, you have to balance the budget. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/at-times-of-recession-running-a-budget-deficit-is-highly-desirable/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [It's my intention to make something stand outside the realm of album art, but it also feels comfortable to me to be in it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dyer-baizley/it-s-my-intention-to-make-something-stand-outside-the-realm-of-album/) [John Dyer Baizley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dyer-baizley/) > [Once you've gotten your money in balance, you know how much you have to spend on things that are just fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/once-you-ve-gotten-your-money-in-balance-you-know-how-much-you-have/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [I never understood how much running changes your life. I'm now obsessed. When not trying to beat my personal best, I'm talking to other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadiq-khan/i-never-understood-how-much-running-changes-your-life-i-m-now/) [Sadiq Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadiq-khan/) > [Whatever needed to be done, I need to know how to do it just as well as my wife. You know, for us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-isbell/whatever-needed-to-be-done-i-need-to-know-how-to-do-it-just-as-well/) [Jason Isbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-isbell/) > [I don't think my parents would have let me go straight into acting full time when I was 12. I do like to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/i-don-t-think-my-parents-would-have-let-me-go-straight-into-acting/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [When it comes down to music, I have no balance. I am 100 percent. It is like full throttle. Five hundred miles an hour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yanni/when-it-comes-down-to-music-i-have-no-balance-i-am-100-percent-it-is/) [Yanni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yanni/) [Browse all 5,166 Balance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The cartoonist’s task is not so much to be balanced as to give balance, particularly in situations of disproportionate power relationships such as we see in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Leunig" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/the-cartoonist-s-task-is-not-so-much-to-be-balanced-as-to-give/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Balance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/the-cartoonist-s-task-is-not-so-much-to-be-balanced-as-to-give/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/136/michael-leunig-2274_balance_the-cartoonist-s-task-is-not-so-much-to_1525962.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/136/michael-leunig-2274_balance_the-cartoonist-s-task-is-not-so-much-to_1525962.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/136/michael-leunig-2274_balance_the-cartoonist-s-task-is-not-so-much-to_1525962.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The cartoonist’s task is not so much to be balanced as to give balance, particularly in situations of…” — Michael Leunig", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Michael Leunig", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The cartoonist’s task is not so...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/the-cartoonist-s-task-is-not-so-much-to-be-balanced-as-to-give/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/the-cartoonist-s-task-is-not-so-much-to-be-balanced-as-to-give/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```