--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The other reason why people don't take a…" description: "\"The other reason why people don't take a stand, which is very true in this election, is looking at [Donald] Trump and fearing reprisal, fearing reprisa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/reid-hoffman-1342_behavior_the-other-reason-why-people-don-t-take-a_608266.jpg" --- # The other reason why people don't take a stand, which is… ![“The other reason why people don't take a stand, which is very true in this election, is looking at [Donald] Trump and fearing reprisal, fearing reprisal from someone who is seeking the highest, most powerful role in the land, who has had a history of doing everything from attacks, threats and…” quote by Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/reid-hoffman-1342_behavior_the-other-reason-why-people-don-t-take-a_608266.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/reid-hoffman-1342_behavior_the-other-reason-why-people-don-t-take-a_608266.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/reid-hoffman-1342_behavior_the-other-reason-why-people-don-t-take-a_608266.jpg) > “The other reason why people don't take a stand, which is very true in this election, is looking at \[Donald\] Trump and fearing reprisal, fearing reprisal from someone who is seeking the highest, most powerful role in the land, who has had a history of doing everything from attacks, threats and lawsuits and who has a complete kind of vengeful, narcissistic behavior, which makes people legitimately worried, almost like a schoolyard bully, that if I step up, am I going to be targeted, too?” [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People avoid taking a stand due to fear of retaliation from powerful, vengeful figures, likened to a schoolyard bully. **In simple terms:** Fear of powerful retaliation stops people from speaking up. Key Takeaway Recognize and address fear to act courageously. Themes fear politics power courage Mood anxious determined Type motivational political When to use this quote - activism - workplace advocacy - community organizing - public speaking Key Concepts psychology social dynamics leadership Questions to Reflect On - What would you risk to stand up for your beliefs? - How can you protect yourself while confronting powerful opposition? A Different Perspective Fear can be amplified by misinformation and personal bias. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Bully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bully/) [Election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Reprisal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reprisal/) [Step up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/step-up/) [Threat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threat/) [Vengeful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vengeful/) ## Related quotes > [One of the things is when you think, "Wait, I'm fearful of retaliation, I'm fearful of oppression because of someone who is going into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/one-of-the-things-is-when-you-think-wait-i-m-fearful-of-retaliation-i/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [Standard mathematics has recently been rendered obsolete by the discovery that for years we have been writing the numeral five backward. This has led…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/standard-mathematics-has-recently-been-rendered-obsolete-by-the/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [That, in part, is why the Constitution's framers gave justices life tenure ? to enable them to rule wherever the law and the Constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-r-ford/that-in-part-is-why-the-constitution-s-framers-gave-justices-life/) [Gerald R. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-r-ford/) > [“... a child's ability for reprisal is infinite, and can last a lifetime.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/a-child-s-ability-for-reprisal-is-infinite-and-can-last-a-lifetime/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) > [A reprisal of this magnitude... has never been carried out before. I paced back and forth in my room perplexed and completely depressed, feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moshe-sharett/a-reprisal-of-this-magnitude-has-never-been-carried-out-before-i/) [Moshe Sharett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moshe-sharett/) > [It is not possible in this culture today to hold up to public pillory and ridicule any group - whether blacks, American Indians, women,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-novak/it-is-not-possible-in-this-culture-today-to-hold-up-to-public-pillory/) [Michael Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-novak/) > [We are now in the 21st century: all books, including the Koran, should be fair game for flushing down the toilet without fear of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/we-are-now-in-the-21st-century-all-books-including-the-koran-should/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [ It took some time for us to realize that \[people\] didn't particularly say they didn't like us or have the love for us that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/it-took-some-time-for-us-to-realize-that-people-didn-t-particularly/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [The spirit of sarcasm lives and thrives in the midst of universal wreck; its balls are enchanted and itself invulnerable, and it braves retaliations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/the-spirit-of-sarcasm-lives-and-thrives-in-the-midst-of-universal/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [In this time when a citizenry applauds the liberation of a country as it lives in fear of its own freedom, when people all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-robbins/in-this-time-when-a-citizenry-applauds-the-liberation-of-a-country-as/) [Tim Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-robbins/) > [These soldiers had done what they had done, and been done unto in return. This was how it went. In the cycle of slaughter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/these-soldiers-had-done-what-they-had-done-and-been-done-unto-in/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [If we want world peace, we must break the vicious circle of violence and reprisal, of an eye for an eye, of endless hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-maurice-de-zayas/if-we-want-world-peace-we-must-break-the-vicious-circle-of-violence/) [Alfred-Maurice de Zayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-maurice-de-zayas/) > [The degree to which we openly express our feelings should be governed, not by fear of reprisal, but by our commitment to loving others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-crabb/the-degree-to-which-we-openly-express-our-feelings-should-be-governed/) [Larry Crabb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-crabb/) > [I need somebody who can at least stand up to me and slug it out, toe to toe. I don't mean a physical battle.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madalyn-murray-o-hair/i-need-somebody-who-can-at-least-stand-up-to-me-and-slug-it-out-toe/) [Madalyn Murray O'Hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madalyn-murray-o-hair/) > [Chimps act the way they feel unless they are afraid of reprisal if they do so. But that doesn't apply to humans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/chimps-act-the-way-they-feel-unless-they-are-afraid-of-reprisal-if/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) ## More by Reid Hoffman > [As an entrepreneur and investor, I prioritize construction and collaboration. Whether it's a five-person start-up or a global giant, the companies that are most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/as-an-entrepreneur-and-investor-i-prioritize-construction-and/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [In software speed to market, speed to learning is really key. In hardware if you screw it up you are dead. So accuracy really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/in-software-speed-to-market-speed-to-learning-is-really-key-in/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [“Stockpiling facts won’t get you anywhere. What will get you somewhere is being able to access the information you need, when you need it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/stockpiling-facts-won-t-get-you-anywhere-what-will-get-you-somewhere/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [I think the randomness by Donald Trump's governing, by tweeting, sloganeering, attacking, will create great chaos in the entire market. I think people will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/i-think-the-randomness-by-donald-trump-s-governing-by-tweeting/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [Democracy is always frustrating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/democracy-is-always-frustrating/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [One of the ways they run forward is by viewing the thing they’re doing as something that’s going to be the whole world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/one-of-the-ways-they-run-forward-is-by-viewing-the-thing-they-re/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [If you could train an AI to be a Buddhist, it would probably be pretty good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/if-you-could-train-an-ai-to-be-a-buddhist-it-would-probably-be-pretty/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [It’s actually pretty easy to be contrarian. It’s hard to be contrarian and right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/it-s-actually-pretty-easy-to-be-contrarian-it-s-hard-to-be-contrarian/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [Giving birth to something that could possibly change the lives of millions of people for possibly decades, hundreds of years, whatever the length of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/giving-birth-to-something-that-could-possibly-change-the-lives-of/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [The entrepreneurial journey starts with jumping off a cliff and assembling an airplane on the way down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/the-entrepreneurial-journey-starts-with-jumping-off-a-cliff-and/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [Be persistent, and hang on to your vision. And at the same time, be flexible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/be-persistent-and-hang-on-to-your-vision-and-at-the-same-time-be/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [First mover Advantage doesn't go to the company that starts up, it goes to the company that scales up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/first-mover-advantage-doesn-t-go-to-the-company-that-starts-up-it/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [Before dreaming about the future or marking plans, you need to articulate what you already have going for you - as entrepreneurs do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/before-dreaming-about-the-future-or-marking-plans-you-need-to/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [The metaphor that I frequently use for entrepreneurship is jumping off a cliff and assembling an airplane plane on the way down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/the-metaphor-that-i-frequently-use-for-entrepreneurship-is-jumping/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [ I think most of \[people\] are not very well educated themselves to understand the Winston Churchill line - democracy is the worst of all… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/i-think-most-of-people-are-not-very-well-educated-themselves-to/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) [Explore all 253 Reid Hoffman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) ## More Behavior quotes > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I now know that deep within the human concept is something dark, selfish, and completely willing to do whatever is necessary to support the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-west/i-now-know-that-deep-within-the-human-concept-is-something-dark/) [Melissa West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-west/) > [“We are endowed with genes which code out our reaction to beavers and otters, maybe our reaction to each other as well. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-are-endowed-with-genes-which-code-out-our-reaction-to-beavers-and/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [To behave creatively in art means behavior with skill; and skill comes from discipline, not derangement. The artist who knows the rules -and proportion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burne-hogarth/to-behave-creatively-in-art-means-behavior-with-skill-and-skill-comes/) Burne Hogarth > [You don't put milk in chamomile tea - that's disgusting behavior! That's not right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-fraser/you-don-t-put-milk-in-chamomile-tea-that-s-disgusting-behavior-that-s/) [Laura Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-fraser/) > [The laws of thermodynamics, as empirically determined, express the approximate and probable behavior of systems of a great number of particles, or, more precisely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-willard-gibbs/the-laws-of-thermodynamics-as-empirically-determined-express-the/) J. Willard Gibbs > [I started with the belief that every person who came to the laboratory was free to accept or to reject the dictates of authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/i-started-with-the-belief-that-every-person-who-came-to-the/) [Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/) > [The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-tipping-point-is-that-magic-moment-when-an-idea-trend-or-social/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [I think we've told a lot of lies about human behavior through film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-arquette/i-think-we-ve-told-a-lot-of-lies-about-human-behavior-through-film/) [Patricia Arquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-arquette/) > [The strongest rebellion may be expressed in quiet, undramatic behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-spock/the-strongest-rebellion-may-be-expressed-in-quiet-undramatic-behavior/) [Benjamin Spock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-spock/) > [The behavior of any bureaucratic organization can best be understood by assuming that it is controlled by a secret cabal of its enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-conquest/the-behavior-of-any-bureaucratic-organization-can-best-be-understood/) [Robert Conquest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-conquest/) > [If you want good behavior, don't pay on a commission basis. Our judges aren't paid so much a case. We keep them pretty well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/if-you-want-good-behavior-don-t-pay-on-a-commission-basis-our-judges/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) [Browse all 4,218 Behavior quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The other reason why people don't take a stand, which is very true in this election, is looking at [Donald] Trump and fearing reprisal, fearing reprisal from someone who is seeking the highest, most powerful role in the land, who has had a history of doing everything from attacks, threats and lawsuits and who has a complete kind of vengeful, narcissistic behavior, which makes people legitimately worried, almost like a schoolyard bully, that if I step up, am I going to be targeted, too?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Reid Hoffman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/the-other-reason-why-people-don-t-take-a-stand-which-is-very-true-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Behavior" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/the-other-reason-why-people-don-t-take-a-stand-which-is-very-true-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/reid-hoffman-1342_behavior_the-other-reason-why-people-don-t-take-a_608266.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/reid-hoffman-1342_behavior_the-other-reason-why-people-don-t-take-a_608266.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/reid-hoffman-1342_behavior_the-other-reason-why-people-don-t-take-a_608266.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The other reason why people don't take a stand, which is very true in this election, is looking at [Donald]…” — Reid Hoffman", "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": "Reid Hoffman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The other reason why people don't...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/the-other-reason-why-people-don-t-take-a-stand-which-is-very-true-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/the-other-reason-why-people-don-t-take-a-stand-which-is-very-true-in/#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 } } ] } ```