--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What would annoy the most people most…" description: "\"What would annoy the most people most often? That is the true left-wing test of government intervention.\" — P. J. O'Rourke" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/964/p-j-o-rourke-184_annoying_what-would-annoy-the-most-people-most-of_537547.png" --- # What would annoy the most people most often? That is the… ![“What would annoy the most people most often? That is the true left-wing test of government intervention.” quote by P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/964/p-j-o-rourke-184_annoying_what-would-annoy-the-most-people-most-of_537547.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/964/p-j-o-rourke-184_annoying_what-would-annoy-the-most-people-most-of_537547.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/964/p-j-o-rourke-184_annoying_what-would-annoy-the-most-people-most-of_537547.png) > “What would annoy the most people most often? That is the true left-wing test of government intervention.” [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Government intervention is often judged by how much it irritates the majority. **In simple terms:** Too much meddling annoys people. Key Takeaway Consider impact before intervening. Themes government intervention public opinion Mood critical analytical Type political satirical When to use this quote - tax reforms - regulatory changes - public services - social programs Key Concepts policy analysis political theory Questions to Reflect On - When does intervention become overreach? - How to measure public tolerance? A Different Perspective Excessive control can erode freedoms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government intervention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-intervention/) [Intervention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intervention/) [Left wing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left-wing/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Tests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tests/) ## Related quotes > [People who resist authority, who defend the rights of the individual, who try in a period of increasing totalitarianism and centralization to reclaim these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/people-who-resist-authority-who-defend-the-rights-of-the-individual/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [It has become fashionable to rail against government intervention in the economy, and the FHA is a favorite example by those trying to show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zandi/it-has-become-fashionable-to-rail-against-government-intervention-in/) [Mark Zandi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zandi/) > [A Day never passes without some ardent reformer or group of reformers suggesting some new government intervention, some new statist scheme to fill some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hazlitt/a-day-never-passes-without-some-ardent-reformer-or-group-of-reformers/) [Henry Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hazlitt/) > [Government intervention in the economy - through taxes, regulation and, most importantly, currency inflation - causes distortions and misallocations of capital that must eventually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-casey/government-intervention-in-the-economy-through-taxes-regulation-and/) [Doug Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-casey/) > [What I object to the current government intervention in so-called 'solving the crisis', they haven't solved anything. They've just postponed it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-faber/what-i-object-to-the-current-government-intervention-in-so-called/) [Marc Faber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-faber/) > [All the evils, abuses, and iniquities, popularly ascribed to businessmen and to capitalism, were not caused by an unregulated economy or by a free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/all-the-evils-abuses-and-iniquities-popularly-ascribed-to-businessmen/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [While admirers of capitalism, we also to a certain extent believe it has limitations that require government intervention in markets to make them work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-yellen/while-admirers-of-capitalism-we-also-to-a-certain-extent-believe-it/) [Janet Yellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-yellen/) > [After the risky mortgage-lending practices fostered by government intervention led to massive defaults and foreclosures that caused financial institutions to collapse or be bailed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/after-the-risky-mortgage-lending-practices-fostered-by-government/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [There is no way to stabilize the markets other than through government intervention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-paulson/there-is-no-way-to-stabilize-the-markets-other-than-through/) [Henry Paulson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-paulson/) > [Government intervention is not solving the problems, and in fact the governments around the world that are intervening the most in their economies are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-demille/government-intervention-is-not-solving-the-problems-and-in-fact-the/) [Oliver DeMille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-demille/) > [In a world dependent on international trade and commerce, and staggering under a heavy load of international debt, no policy is more destructive than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-f-sennholz/in-a-world-dependent-on-international-trade-and-commerce-and/) [Hans F. Sennholz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-f-sennholz/) > [The Libertarian position on the freedom of speech is a strong support of freedom of speech, and we oppose government intervention in controlling what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-badnarik/the-libertarian-position-on-the-freedom-of-speech-is-a-strong-support/) [Michael Badnarik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-badnarik/) > [Let's face a historical truth: we have never had a "free market", we have always had government intervention in the economy, and indeed that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/let-s-face-a-historical-truth-we-have-never-had-a-free-market-we-have/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [This is not about abortion or the antics. This is about pro choice versus anti-choice and government intervention in a woman's personal decisions about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-turner/this-is-not-about-abortion-or-the-antics-this-is-about-pro-choice/) [Kathleen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-turner/) > [Every coercive monopoly was created by government intervention into the economy: by special privileges, such as franchises or subsidies, which closed the entry of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/every-coercive-monopoly-was-created-by-government-intervention-into/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) ## More by P. J. O'Rourke > [I'm fascinated by political enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-m-fascinated-by-political-enthusiasm/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [In comparative terms, there's no poverty in America by a long shot. Heritage Foundation political scientist Robert Rector has worked up figures showing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-comparative-terms-there-s-no-poverty-in-america-by-a-long-shot/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [The Democrats said, "We don't know what's wrong with America, but we can fix it." The Republicans said, "There's nothing wrong with America, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/the-democrats-said-we-don-t-know-what-s-wrong-with-america-but-we-can/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [At Epcot Center the Disney corporation has focused its attention on two things greatly in need of Disneyfication: the tedious future and the annoying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/at-epcot-center-the-disney-corporation-has-focused-its-attention-on/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [So-called Western Civilization, as practised in half of Europe, some of Asia and a few parts of North America, is better than anything else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/so-called-western-civilization-as-practised-in-half-of-europe-some-of/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [My whole family can talk. They are all car salesmen. They are all funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/my-whole-family-can-talk-they-are-all-car-salesmen-they-are-all-funny/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [It was Ronald Reagan who used to say that the 10 most frightening words in the English language are, "I'm from the federal government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/it-was-ronald-reagan-who-used-to-say-that-the-10-most-frightening/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Gun violence has cost us too many political leaders, and hardly ever the worst ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/gun-violence-has-cost-us-too-many-political-leaders-and-hardly-ever/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Pete Seeger is a modest, unassuming, cheerful, and kind-natured man. He's a good folk singer, if you can stand folk singing. And he's such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/pete-seeger-is-a-modest-unassuming-cheerful-and-kind-natured-man-he-s/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Journalists are notoriously easy to kid. All you have to do is speak to a journalist in a very serious tone of voice, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/journalists-are-notoriously-easy-to-kid-all-you-have-to-do-is-speak/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I like to think of my behavior in the sixties as a 'learning experience.' Then again, I like to think of anything stupid I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-like-to-think-of-my-behavior-in-the-sixties-as-a-learning/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I'll be 56 this year, I've got two kids, and I think it's probably time to go back to writing one-glove jokes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-ll-be-56-this-year-i-ve-got-two-kids-and-i-think-it-s-probably-time/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Something that comes to us, some gym shoe that comes to us as a result of child labor from a brutal dictatorship, where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/something-that-comes-to-us-some-gym-shoe-that-comes-to-us-as-a-result/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Russians not only vehemently despise blacks, they believe Africa begins at the Ukraine border.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/russians-not-only-vehemently-despise-blacks-they-believe-africa/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Now, do I think the baby boomers tend to be self-absorbed? I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/now-do-i-think-the-baby-boomers-tend-to-be-self-absorbed-i-do/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) [Explore all 983 P. J. O'Rourke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) ## More Annoying quotes > [Why couldn't Jesus command us to obsess over everything, to try to control and manipulate people, to try not to breathe at all, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/why-couldn-t-jesus-command-us-to-obsess-over-everything-to-try-to/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [The trouble is. . .that everybody sneers at restrictions and demands freedom, till something annoying happens; then they demand angrily what has become of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/the-trouble-is-that-everybody-sneers-at-restrictions-and-demands/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [At Epcot Center the Disney corporation has focused its attention on two things greatly in need of Disneyfication: the tedious future and the annoying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/at-epcot-center-the-disney-corporation-has-focused-its-attention-on/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [The book it reminded me of most is Henry Miller’s The Books in My Life. Like Miller, Shields manages to convey his affection for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-alexis/the-book-it-reminded-me-of-most-is-henry-miller-s-the-books-in-my/) [Andre Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-alexis/) > [When you're standing around for an hour doing stand up it's no big deal but when you're standing around watching a show for an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-rogan/when-you-re-standing-around-for-an-hour-doing-stand-up-it-s-no-big/) [Joe Rogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-rogan/) > [Belief is a good thing in principle, but an annoying thing in human beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-wurtzel/belief-is-a-good-thing-in-principle-but-an-annoying-thing-in-human/) [Elizabeth Wurtzel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-wurtzel/) > [Shut the fuck up ur so annoying and you think your the shit lmao sit the fuck down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/shut-the-fuck-up-ur-so-annoying-and-you-think-your-the-shit-lmao-sit/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only kind of freedom that the mob can imagine is freedom to annoy and oppress its betters, and that is precisely the kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-kind-of-freedom-that-the-mob-can-imagine-is-freedom-to-annoy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Die, enemies of Ra!" Sekhemet yelled. "Perish in agony!" "She's almost as annoying as you," I told Horus. "Impossible," Horus said. "No one bests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/die-enemies-of-ra-sekhemet-yelled-perish-in-agony-she-s-almost-as/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [My middle finger is used when words aren't enough for people to understand that they're annoying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-middle-finger-is-used-when-words-aren-t-enough-for-people-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [...Be grateful for what you have to be thankful for instead of complaining about the little things that annoy you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/be-grateful-for-what-you-have-to-be-thankful-for-instead-of/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [Would you want people walking up to you and pointing at your d--k? I can't believe I'm still talking about this. But I've worn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-hamm/would-you-want-people-walking-up-to-you-and-pointing-at-your-d-k-i/) [Jon Hamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-hamm/) > [I ceased in the year 1764 to believe that one can convince one’s opponents with arguments printed in books. It is not to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/i-ceased-in-the-year-1764-to-believe-that-one-can-convince-one-s/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [WikiLeaks is irritating and annoying for Germany, but not a threat. From an international perspective, I see their actions as totally irresponsible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-de-maiziere/wikileaks-is-irritating-and-annoying-for-germany-but-not-a-threat/) [Thomas de Maiziere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-de-maiziere/) > [It doesn't annoy me but I think of myself as a presenter who is gay, rather than a gay presenter. It's a subtle distinction,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-davis/it-doesn-t-annoy-me-but-i-think-of-myself-as-a-presenter-who-is-gay/) [Evan Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-davis/) Browse all 1,217 Annoying quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What would annoy the most people most often? That is the true left-wing test of government intervention.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "P. J. O'Rourke" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/what-would-annoy-the-most-people-most-often-that-is-the-true-left/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Annoying" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/what-would-annoy-the-most-people-most-often-that-is-the-true-left/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/964/p-j-o-rourke-184_annoying_what-would-annoy-the-most-people-most-of_537547.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/964/p-j-o-rourke-184_annoying_what-would-annoy-the-most-people-most-of_537547.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/964/p-j-o-rourke-184_annoying_what-would-annoy-the-most-people-most-of_537547.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What would annoy the most people most often? That is the true left-wing test of government intervention.” — P. J. O'Rourke", "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": "P. J. O'Rourke", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What would annoy the most people...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/what-would-annoy-the-most-people-most-often-that-is-the-true-left/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/what-would-annoy-the-most-people-most-often-that-is-the-true-left/#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 } } ] } ```