--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We do not influence the course of events…" description: "\"We do not influence the course of events by persuading people that we are right when we make what they regard as radical proposals. Rather, we exert in..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/732/milton-friedman-616_crisis_we-do-not-influence-the-course-of-events_1287328.png" --- # We do not influence the course of events by persuading… ![“We do not influence the course of events by persuading people that we are right when we make what they regard as radical proposals. Rather, we exert influence by keeping options available when something has to be done at a time of crisis.” quote by Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/732/milton-friedman-616_crisis_we-do-not-influence-the-course-of-events_1287328.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/732/milton-friedman-616_crisis_we-do-not-influence-the-course-of-events_1287328.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/732/milton-friedman-616_crisis_we-do-not-influence-the-course-of-events_1287328.png) > “We do not influence the course of events by persuading people that we are right when we make what they regard as radical proposals. Rather, we exert influence by keeping options available when something has to be done at a time of crisis.” [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Influence arises from offering viable options during crises, not from asserting correctness. **In simple terms:** Options matter more than arguments in emergencies. Key Takeaway Provide practical alternatives when needed. Themes influence options crisis management Mood analytical pragmatic Type strategic inspirational When to use this quote - government response - business continuity - public policy Key Concepts decision theory strategic planning Questions to Reflect On - What options can we keep open for future crises? - How do we balance persuasion with option‑building? A Different Perspective Relying solely on persuasion can backfire when urgency spikes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crisis/) [Events](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/events/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Radical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radical/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I'm not good at standing on platforms and persuading people to my political point of view. Nor would I seek to. 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Of course,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bernays/the-three-main-elements-of-public-relations-are-practically-as-old-as/) [Edward Bernays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bernays/) > [Leadership isn't just legislation, that it's a matter of persuading people and giving them confidence, and bringing them together and setting a tone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/leadership-isn-t-just-legislation-that-it-s-a-matter-of-persuading/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The best way to rise in society is to use all possible means of persuading people that one has already risen in society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-best-way-to-rise-in-society-is-to-use-all-possible-means-of/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [I am good at persuading people. 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Governments have long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/radical-expansions-of-power-are-often-introduced-in-this-way-by-2/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [There is still a tendency to regard any existing government intervention as desirable, to attribute all evils to the market, and to evaluate new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/there-is-still-a-tendency-to-regard-any-existing-government/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) ## More by Milton Friedman > [The government solution to a problem is usually as bad as the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-government-solution-to-a-problem-is-usually-as-bad-as-the-problem/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [I believe the role that people like myself have played in the transformation of public opinion has been by persistently presenting a different point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/i-believe-the-role-that-people-like-myself-have-played-in-the/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [To really understand something you've got to reduce it to its principles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/to-really-understand-something-you-ve-got-to-reduce-it-to-its/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [It is a mark of how far we have gone on the road to serfdom that government allocation and rationing of oil is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/it-is-a-mark-of-how-far-we-have-gone-on-the-road-to-serfdom-that/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [Economic freedom is an essential requisite for political freedom. 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