--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In some ways, it is easier to be a…" description: "\"In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.\" — Nelson Mandela" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b94/nelson-mandela-248_dissident_in-some-ways-it-is-easier-to-be-a-dissid_2302537.jpg" --- # In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one… ![“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.” quote by Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b94/nelson-mandela-248_dissident_in-some-ways-it-is-easier-to-be-a-dissid_2302537.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b94/nelson-mandela-248_dissident_in-some-ways-it-is-easier-to-be-a-dissid_2302537.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b94/nelson-mandela-248_dissident_in-some-ways-it-is-easier-to-be-a-dissid_2302537.jpg) > “In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.” [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being a dissident can feel less burdensome than bearing responsibility for change. **In simple terms:** Dissidence feels easier than responsibility. Key Takeaway Embrace responsibility for meaningful impact. Themes activism responsibility leadership Mood inspired serious Type political motivational When to use this quote - social movements - community organizing - policy advocacy Key Concepts political dissent ethical duty Questions to Reflect On - Why do people avoid responsibility? - How can we support responsible leadership? A Different Perspective Responsibility can be overwhelming and risky. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dissident](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dissident/) [Dissident Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dissident-responsibility-5446917/) [Dissidents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dissidents/) [Easier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easier/) [Easier Dissident](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easier-dissident-5446916/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Long walk to freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-walk-to-freedom/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [Dissent is morally neutral. You can correctly call yourself a dissident because you like to kick puppies, but at the end of the day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-goldberg/dissent-is-morally-neutral-you-can-correctly-call-yourself-a/) [Jonah Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-goldberg/) > [The whole dissident idea attracts a lot of crazies. And then all of a sudden, without realizing it, you've become one of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-duesberg/the-whole-dissident-idea-attracts-a-lot-of-crazies-and-then-all-of-a/) [Peter Duesberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-duesberg/) > [There was a period of time when I was very political, when I was at the university. It was like the late '60s, early…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-lange/there-was-a-period-of-time-when-i-was-very-political-when-i-was-at/) [Jessica Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-lange/) > [There will always be dissident voices heard in the land, expressing opposition without alternatives, finding fault but never favor, perceiving gloom on every side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/there-will-always-be-dissident-voices-heard-in-the-land-expressing/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [The people we call the prophets I think are the earliest dissident intellectuals, and they're treated like most dissident intellectuals - very badly. 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Some of the children arrive there from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masha-gessen/adolescent-who-expresses-dissident-opinion-more-or-less-vocally-can/) [Masha Gessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masha-gessen/) > [The "prophets" were what we would call dissident intellectuals. They provided critical geopolitical analysis, condemned the crimes of the powerful, called for justice and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-prophets-were-what-we-would-call-dissident-intellectuals-they/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Video screenshot Facts and figures from Nelson Mandela's life, set to the trailer from 'Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.' "Man's goodness is a flame…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/video-screenshot-facts-and-figures-from-nelson-mandela-s-life-set-to/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/as-we-are-liberated-from-our-own-fear-our-presence-automatically/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It was during those long and lonely years that my hunger for the freedom of our own people became a hunger for the freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-was-during-those-long-and-lonely-years-that-my-hunger-for-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## More by Nelson Mandela > [We must work together to ensure the equitable distribution of wealth, opportunity and power in our society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-must-work-together-to-ensure-the-equitable-distribution-of-wealth/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Especially for those of us who lived in single cells, you had the time to sit down and think, and we discovered that sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/especially-for-those-of-us-who-lived-in-single-cells-you-had-the-time/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [If you don't allow people to contribute, to offer their point of view, or to criticize what has been put before them, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/if-you-don-t-allow-people-to-contribute-to-offer-their-point-of-view/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Courageous people do not fear forgiving, for the sake of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/courageous-people-do-not-fear-forgiving-for-the-sake-of-peace/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [As a leader... I have always endeavored to listen to what each and every person in a discussion had to say before venturing my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/as-a-leader-i-have-always-endeavored-to-listen-to-what-each-and-every/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Some of the mission groups that have been responsible for our education have not been part of the government. In fact, they acted contrary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/some-of-the-mission-groups-that-have-been-responsible-for-our/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“I believed that I would become a counsellor to the Thembu king,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-believed-that-i-would-become-a-counsellor-to-the-thembu-king/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [What he means by this is that instead of saying you'll "try", you need to "do". And as we let our light shine, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/what-he-means-by-this-is-that-instead-of-saying-you-ll-try-you-need/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-learned-that-courage-was-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-the-triumph/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [We need to exert ourselves that much more, and break out of the vicious cycle of dependence imposed on us by the financially powerful:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-need-to-exert-ourselves-that-much-more-and-break-out-of-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“Prison is a still point in a turning world, and it is very easy to remain in the same place in jail while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/prison-is-a-still-point-in-a-turning-world-and-it-is-very-easy-to/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [A fundamental concern for others in our individual and community lives would go a long way in making the world the better place we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/a-fundamental-concern-for-others-in-our-individual-and-community/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I am aware of what the position is in the United States of America. If somebody gives to charity, then he gets a tax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-am-aware-of-what-the-position-is-in-the-united-states-of-america-if/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It is our duty to give support to the brother leader ... especially in regards to the sanctions which are not hitting just him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-is-our-duty-to-give-support-to-the-brother-leader-especially-in/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It was during those long and lonely years that my hunger for the freedom of our own people became a hunger for the freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-was-during-those-long-and-lonely-years-that-my-hunger-for-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) [Explore all 809 Nelson Mandela quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## More Dissident quotes > [“Zeena Schreck believes that the right-hand path and the left-hand path have traditionally had the same end goal; it is only the method that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeena-schreck/zeena-schreck-believes-that-the-right-hand-path-and-the-left-hand/) [Zeena Schreck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeena-schreck/) > [If you are creative, you must be dissident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/if-you-are-creative-you-must-be-dissident/) [Nawal El Saadawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/) > [The "prophets" were what we would call dissident intellectuals. They provided critical geopolitical analysis, condemned the crimes of the powerful, called for justice and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-prophets-were-what-we-would-call-dissident-intellectuals-they/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“But if I am not a criminal, I beg to be permitted to go abroad with my wife temporarily, for at least one year,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yevgeny-zamyatin/but-if-i-am-not-a-criminal-i-beg-to-be-permitted-to-go-abroad-with-my/) [Yevgeny Zamyatin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yevgeny-zamyatin/) > [Dissident intellectuals aren't all beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/dissident-intellectuals-aren-t-all-beautiful/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [You do not become a ''dissident'' just because you decide one day to take up this most unusual career. You are thrown into it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/you-do-not-become-a-dissident-just-because-you-decide-one-day-to-take/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [Pretty much anybody who does creative work in China navigates the gray zone. People aren't clear about where the line is any more, beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/pretty-much-anybody-who-does-creative-work-in-china-navigates-the/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [“The dissident does not operate in the realm of genuine power at all. He is not seeking power. He has no desire for office…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/the-dissident-does-not-operate-in-the-realm-of-genuine-power-at-all/) [Václav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [“There are Tantrics who deliberately seek to do more active forms of renunciation, so transgression of social norms and breaking of taboo, and breaking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeena-schreck/there-are-tantrics-who-deliberately-seek-to-do-more-active-forms-of/) [Zeena Schreck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeena-schreck/) > [“adolescent who expresses dissident opinion more or less vocally can end up in a place like that. Some of the children arrive there from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masha-gessen/adolescent-who-expresses-dissident-opinion-more-or-less-vocally-can/) [Masha Gessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masha-gessen/) > [I don't want to be a dissident. But in the same time, I don't want to go back home and be silent again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-khashoggi/i-don-t-want-to-be-a-dissident-but-in-the-same-time-i-don-t-want-to/) [Jamal Khashoggi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-khashoggi/) > [“I am often described to my irritation as a 'contrarian' and even had the title inflicted on me by the publisher of one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-am-often-described-to-my-irritation-as-a-contrarian-and-even-had/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“Dissident state or company employees in the Congo could not easily write to Morel directly, for a cabinet noir, or censorship office, in Boma…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hochschild/dissident-state-or-company-employees-in-the-congo-could-not-easily/) [Adam Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hochschild/) > [I know of only one country, at least to my knowledge, which has a dissident culture where leading figures, I mean, the most famous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-know-of-only-one-country-at-least-to-my-knowledge-which-has-a/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [When we live in a world that is very unjust, you have to be a dissident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/when-we-live-in-a-world-that-is-very-unjust-you-have-to-be-a-dissident/) [Nawal El Saadawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/) [Browse all 35 Dissident quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dissident/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nelson Mandela" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/in-some-ways-it-is-easier-to-be-a-dissident-for-then-one-is-without/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dissident" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/in-some-ways-it-is-easier-to-be-a-dissident-for-then-one-is-without/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b94/nelson-mandela-248_dissident_in-some-ways-it-is-easier-to-be-a-dissid_2302537.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b94/nelson-mandela-248_dissident_in-some-ways-it-is-easier-to-be-a-dissid_2302537.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b94/nelson-mandela-248_dissident_in-some-ways-it-is-easier-to-be-a-dissid_2302537.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.” — Nelson Mandela", "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": "Nelson Mandela", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In some ways, it is easier...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/in-some-ways-it-is-easier-to-be-a-dissident-for-then-one-is-without/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/in-some-ways-it-is-easier-to-be-a-dissident-for-then-one-is-without/#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 } } ] } ```