--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have always thought it was a terrible…" description: "\"I have always thought it was a terrible shame that the women's movement didn't realise how much easier it was to reach people by making them laugh than..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c2/nora-ephron-1217_easier_i-have-always-thought-it-was-a-terrible_2779024.jpg" --- # I have always thought it was a terrible shame that the… ![“I have always thought it was a terrible shame that the women's movement didn't realise how much easier it was to reach people by making them laugh than by shaking a fist and saying, 'Don't you see how oppressed you are',” quote by Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c2/nora-ephron-1217_easier_i-have-always-thought-it-was-a-terrible_2779024.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c2/nora-ephron-1217_easier_i-have-always-thought-it-was-a-terrible_2779024.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c2/nora-ephron-1217_easier_i-have-always-thought-it-was-a-terrible_2779024.jpg) > “I have always thought it was a terrible shame that the women's movement didn't realise how much easier it was to reach people by making them laugh than by shaking a fist and saying, 'Don't you see how oppressed you are',” [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques the women's movement for overlooking humor as a more effective tool than confrontational activism. **In simple terms:** Humor can be more effective than aggressive protest. Key Takeaway Use humor strategically to advance social causes. Themes activism humor gender equality communication Mood witty thoughtful Type advisory strategic When to use this quote - campaign planning - public speaking - media strategy - community organizing Key Concepts social movements strategic messaging Questions to Reflect On - When is humor appropriate in activism? - How can humor complement serious messages? A Different Perspective Humor may be misinterpreted or diminish seriousness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Easier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easier/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Fists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fists/) [Laughing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughing/) [Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement/) [Oppressed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppressed/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Reach People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reach-people/) [Realising](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realising/) [Shaking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shaking/) [Shame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shame/) [Shame Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shame-women-1740631/) [Terrible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrible/) [Terrible Shame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrible-shame-3296019/) [Women Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women-movement/) ## Related quotes > [I think it's a terrible shame that politics has become show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-pollack/i-think-it-s-a-terrible-shame-that-politics-has-become-show-business/) [Sydney Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-pollack/) > [“It's a terrible shame he's a Renegade, isn't it? Otherwise, you could have asked him to stay for dinner.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marissa-meyer/it-s-a-terrible-shame-he-s-a-renegade-isn-t-it-otherwise-you-could/) [Marissa Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marissa-meyer/) > [I've always felt, and I think I'm qualified to say so because I've won a few awards, that it's a terrible shame to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/i-ve-always-felt-and-i-think-i-m-qualified-to-say-so-because-i-ve-won/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [“Lord, What a terrible shame. You're so attractive!' I know, I want to tell her. It should have happened to someone really ugly. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-jensen/lord-what-a-terrible-shame-you-re-so-attractive-i-know-i-want-to-tell/) [Liz Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-jensen/) > [“consider women in music who align themselves with charities and causes that don’t reflect their lived experience in order to seem like they’re doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/consider-women-in-music-who-align-themselves-with-charities-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“men who happily enjoy misogynist porn in private feel equally free to shame women who dare to breastfeed in public.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaclyn-friedman/men-who-happily-enjoy-misogynist-porn-in-private-feel-equally-free-to/) [Jaclyn Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaclyn-friedman/) > [Historically, we've attached a lot of shame to women and their bodies - probably since biblical times. It's a way that patriarchal societies have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marielle-heller/historically-we-ve-attached-a-lot-of-shame-to-women-and-their-bodies/) [Marielle Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marielle-heller/) > [“We’re all living in the shadow of that infamous icon, “The Proverbs 31 Woman,” whose life is so busy I wonder, when does she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/we-re-all-living-in-the-shadow-of-that-infamous-icon-the-proverbs-31/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [Damn shame some women can twerk or roll a blunt better then they can cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-smith/damn-shame-some-women-can-twerk-or-roll-a-blunt-better-then-they-can/) [Chuck Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-smith/) > [People shame women, but then you see all these guys, and they can do whatever they want. That isn't just in wrestling, that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-perez/people-shame-women-but-then-you-see-all-these-guys-and-they-can-do/) [Melina Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-perez/) > [I think that a big shame of how women are approached in business is they're oftentimes looked to for perspective and not implementation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-wolfe-herd/i-think-that-a-big-shame-of-how-women-are-approached-in-business-is/) [Whitney Wolfe Herd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-wolfe-herd/) > [“So many of the conscious and unconscious ways men and women treat each other have to do with romantic and sexual fantasies that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/so-many-of-the-conscious-and-unconscious-ways-men-and-women-treat/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [The major concrete achievement of the women's movement of the 1970's was the Dutch treat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/the-major-concrete-achievement-of-the-women-s-movement-of-the-1970-s/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [It's easy, almost comforting, to dismiss Trumpism as the cry of laid-off men in rust-belt states shaking their wrinkled fists at the juggernaut of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fraser-nelson/it-s-easy-almost-comforting-to-dismiss-trumpism-as-the-cry-of-laid/) [Fraser Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fraser-nelson/) > [Being an activist is about getting things done. It's not about standing around shaking your fist in anger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-quinn/being-an-activist-is-about-getting-things-done-it-s-not-about/) [Christine Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-quinn/) ## More by Nora Ephron > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [“That's the catch about betrayal, of course: that it feels good, that there's something immensely pleasurable about moving from a complicated relationship which involves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/that-s-the-catch-about-betrayal-of-course-that-it-feels-good-that/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [“The whole purpose of places like Starbucks is for people with no decision-making ability whatsoever to make six decisions just to buy one cup…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/the-whole-purpose-of-places-like-starbucks-is-for-people-with-no/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [Death is a sniper. It strikes people you love, people you like, people you know - it's everywhere. You could be next. But then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/death-is-a-sniper-it-strikes-people-you-love-people-you-like-people/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > ['When you slip on a banana peel, people laugh at you. When you tell people you slipped on a banana peel, it's your laugh.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/when-you-slip-on-a-banana-peel-people-laugh-at-you-when-you-tell/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [“I wish he were better at hailing taxis than I am; on the other hand, I realize that expectation is culturally conditioned, utterly foolish,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/i-wish-he-were-better-at-hailing-taxis-than-i-am-on-the-other-hand-i/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [You enter into a certain amount of madness when you marry a person with pets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/you-enter-into-a-certain-amount-of-madness-when-you-marry-a-person/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [I never went near the Wellesley College chapel in my four years there, but I am still amazed at the amount of Christian charity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/i-never-went-near-the-wellesley-college-chapel-in-my-four-years-there/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [You can't call yourself a feminist if you don't believe in the right to abortion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/you-can-t-call-yourself-a-feminist-if-you-don-t-believe-in-the-right/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [“I always read the last page of a book first so that if I die before I finish I'll know how it turned out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/i-always-read-the-last-page-of-a-book-first-so-that-if-i-die-before-i/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [“If I was home alone at night, I cooked myself an entire meal from one of these cookbooks. Then I sat down in front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/if-i-was-home-alone-at-night-i-cooked-myself-an-entire-meal-from-one/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [“The next man I was involved with lived in Boston. He taught me to cook mushrooms. He taught me that if you heat the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/the-next-man-i-was-involved-with-lived-in-boston-he-taught-me-to-cook/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [“Whatever you choose, however many roads you travel, I hope that you choose not to be a lady. I hope you will find some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/whatever-you-choose-however-many-roads-you-travel-i-hope-that-you/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [A man who finishes a book is always alone when he finishes it...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/a-man-who-finishes-a-book-is-always-alone-when-he-finishes-it/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [“I hear myself saying these words: What this movement is about is options. I say it to friends who are frustrated, or housebound, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/i-hear-myself-saying-these-words-what-this-movement-is-about-is/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) [Explore all 272 Nora Ephron quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) ## More Easier quotes > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) > [I think hair gel was invented to make it easier to identify assholes from a distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/i-think-hair-gel-was-invented-to-make-it-easier-to-identify-assholes/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [It is easier to say you're mad, rather than admitting you're hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-easier-to-say-you-re-mad-rather-than-admitting-you-re-hurt/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nothing is easier than yesterday's solutions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-sperry/nothing-is-easier-than-yesterday-s-solutions/) [Roger Sperry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-sperry/) > [When you have a cavity in your tooth and you let it get worse, eventually you have to get a root canal. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/when-you-have-a-cavity-in-your-tooth-and-you-let-it-get-worse/) [Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/) > [Generally, I like all islands. There, it is easier to rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/generally-i-like-all-islands-there-it-is-easier-to-rule/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [It's funny, everything is so much easier when you do it yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carine-roitfeld/it-s-funny-everything-is-so-much-easier-when-you-do-it-yourself/) [Carine Roitfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carine-roitfeld/) > [It is easier to perceive error than to find truth, for the former lies on the surface and is easily seen, while the latter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/it-is-easier-to-perceive-error-than-to-find-truth-for-the-former-lies/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I'm truly, 100% guided by the characters and my Muse. If one of the characters suddenly decided to do something very different, I'd just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-foster/i-m-truly-100-guided-by-the-characters-and-my-muse-if-one-of-the/) [Lori Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-foster/) > [The easier it is to quantify, the less it's worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-easier-it-is-to-quantify-the-less-it-s-worth/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [“it is easier to do a job right than to explain why you didnt”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-van-buren/it-is-easier-to-do-a-job-right-than-to-explain-why-you-didnt/) [Martin Van Buren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-van-buren/) > [“Often we find it easier to think our way around things rather than to feel our way through them:”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-nepo/often-we-find-it-easier-to-think-our-way-around-things-rather-than-to/) [Mark Nepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-nepo/) > [I know it is easier said than done, but you have to find a way to surround yourself with positivity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-deprince/i-know-it-is-easier-said-than-done-but-you-have-to-find-a-way-to/) [Michaela DePrince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-deprince/) > [God puts you where God needs you. You are where you are supposed to be. The job you are doing may not be any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kushner/god-puts-you-where-god-needs-you-you-are-where-you-are-supposed-to-be/) [Lawrence Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-kushner/) [Browse all 5,480 Easier quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easier/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have always thought it was a terrible shame that the women's movement didn't realise how much easier it was to reach people by making them laugh than by shaking a fist and saying, 'Don't you see how oppressed you are',", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nora Ephron" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/i-have-always-thought-it-was-a-terrible-shame-that-the-women-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Easier" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/i-have-always-thought-it-was-a-terrible-shame-that-the-women-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c2/nora-ephron-1217_easier_i-have-always-thought-it-was-a-terrible_2779024.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c2/nora-ephron-1217_easier_i-have-always-thought-it-was-a-terrible_2779024.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c2/nora-ephron-1217_easier_i-have-always-thought-it-was-a-terrible_2779024.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have always thought it was a terrible shame that the women's movement didn't realise how much easier it…” — Nora Ephron", "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": "Nora Ephron", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have always thought it was...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/i-have-always-thought-it-was-a-terrible-shame-that-the-women-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/i-have-always-thought-it-was-a-terrible-shame-that-the-women-s/#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 } } ] } ```