--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Public scandals are America's favorite…" description: "\"Public scandals are America's favorite parlor sport. Learning about the flaws and misdeeds of the rich and famous seems to satisfy our egalitarian year..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ee/robert-dallek-3456_about_public-scandals-are-america-s-favorite-p_3019946.png" --- # Public scandals are America's favorite parlor sport… ![“Public scandals are America's favorite parlor sport. Learning about the flaws and misdeeds of the rich and famous seems to satisfy our egalitarian yearnings.” quote by Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ee/robert-dallek-3456_about_public-scandals-are-america-s-favorite-p_3019946.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ee/robert-dallek-3456_about_public-scandals-are-america-s-favorite-p_3019946.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ee/robert-dallek-3456_about_public-scandals-are-america-s-favorite-p_3019946.png) > “Public scandals are America's favorite parlor sport. Learning about the flaws and misdeeds of the rich and famous seems to satisfy our egalitarian yearnings.” [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Public fascination with elite scandals satisfies a desire for equality and moral judgment. **In simple terms:** People enjoy watching rich and famous fail. Key Takeaway Reflect on why scandal intrigues us. Themes society scandal egalitarianism Mood critical observational Type political social When to use this quote - news consumption - political discourse - social media Key Concepts political sociology media studies Questions to Reflect On - What does scandal reveal about our values? - How does this affect public trust? A Different Perspective Scandals can distract from systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Egalitarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/egalitarian/) [Famous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/famous/) [Favorite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/favorite/) [Flaws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flaws/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Misdeeds Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misdeeds-rich-4883437/) [Our](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our/) [Parlor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parlor/) [Parlor Sport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parlor-sport-4883436/) [Public](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public/) [Public Scandals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-scandals-3624413/) [Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rich/) [Satisfy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/satisfy/) [Scandals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scandals/) [Scandals America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scandals-america-4883435/) [Seems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seems/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) ## Related quotes > [“That is the greatest sin of all. You can make money under the table and move ahead, but you are forbidden to make secretaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-royko/that-is-the-greatest-sin-of-all-you-can-make-money-under-the-table/) [Mike Royko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-royko/) > [America washes its dirty linen in public. When scandals such as this one hit, they do sully America's image in the world. But what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fareed-zakaria/america-washes-its-dirty-linen-in-public-when-scandals-such-as-this/) [Fareed Zakaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fareed-zakaria/) > [Islam is in principle egalitarian, and has always had problems with power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-douglas/islam-is-in-principle-egalitarian-and-has-always-had-problems-with/) [Mary Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-douglas/) > [The egalitarian doctrine is manifestly contrary to all the facts established by biology and by history. Only fanatical partisans of this theory can contend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-egalitarian-doctrine-is-manifestly-contrary-to-all-the-facts/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [“The egalitarian passion is a perversion of the critical sense: atrophy of the faculty of discrimination.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/the-egalitarian-passion-is-a-perversion-of-the-critical-sense-atrophy/) [Nicolás Gómez Dávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) > [Scratch an egalitarian, and you will inevitably find a statist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scratch-an-egalitarian-and-you-will-inevitably-find-a-statist/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Egalitarian societies strangle the imagination without even satisfying envy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/egalitarian-societies-strangle-the-imagination-without-even/) [Nicolás Gómez Dávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) > [Egalitarian policies are the best way to unite and empower people, and are also a necessary counterweight to the sometimes detrimental influence of market…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-siguroardottir/egalitarian-policies-are-the-best-way-to-unite-and-empower-people-and/) [Johanna Siguroardottir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-siguroardottir/) > [We are a democratic, egalitarian people who spend our days desperately trying to climb over each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-are-a-democratic-egalitarian-people-who-spend-our-days-desperately/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“the egalitarian lifestyles of hunter-gatherers exist because the individuals care a lot about status. Individuals in these societies end up roughly equal because everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/the-egalitarian-lifestyles-of-hunter-gatherers-exist-because-the/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [Money is the most egalitarian force in society. It confers power on whoever holds it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-starr/money-is-the-most-egalitarian-force-in-society-it-confers-power-on/) [Roger Starr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-starr/) > [Like many works of literature, Hollywood chooses for its villains people who strive for social dominance through the pursuit of wealth, prestige, and power.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-tabarrok/like-many-works-of-literature-hollywood-chooses-for-its-villains/) [Alex Tabarrok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-tabarrok/) > [“The graduated tax is a confiscatory tax. Its effect, and to a large extent its aim, is to bring down all men to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-m-goldwater/the-graduated-tax-is-a-confiscatory-tax-its-effect-and-to-a-large/) [Barry M. Goldwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-m-goldwater/) > [“I do believe that the emphasis on egalitarian and respectful sex—purged of any expressions of power, aggression, and transgression—is antithetical to erotic desire for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/i-do-believe-that-the-emphasis-on-egalitarian-and-respectful-sex/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) > [For capitalism flourishes best in a mobile and egalitarian society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-fukuyama/for-capitalism-flourishes-best-in-a-mobile-and-egalitarian-society/) [Francis Fukuyama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-fukuyama/) ## More by Robert Dallek > [Harry Truman wrote scathing letters, but he almost never sent them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/harry-truman-wrote-scathing-letters-but-he-almost-never-sent-them/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [Don't be intimidated by people who seem to be experts. Hear their points of view and get their judgements. But at the end of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/don-t-be-intimidated-by-people-who-seem-to-be-experts-hear-their/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [During his presidency, Truman and the Republicans were locked in a series of furious assaults on each other that outraged him and made Truman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/during-his-presidency-truman-and-the-republicans-were-locked-in-a/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [Experience helped Richard Nixon, but it didn't save him, and it certainly wasn't a blanket endorsement. He blundered terribly in dealing with Vietnam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/experience-helped-richard-nixon-but-it-didn-t-save-him-and-it/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [When Gingrich attacked CNN's John King for bringing up his alleged proposal of an open marriage to his second wife, Gingrich accused him of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/when-gingrich-attacked-cnn-s-john-king-for-bringing-up-his-alleged/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [In seeking an empire of liberty, Jefferson wished not only to expand the country's territorial holdings, but also to extend American institutions around the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/in-seeking-an-empire-of-liberty-jefferson-wished-not-only-to-expand/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [Like Lyndon Johnson, President Obama understands that timidity in a time of troubles is a prescription for failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/like-lyndon-johnson-president-obama-understands-that-timidity-in-a/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [Despite its flaws, the American electoral system has produced Lincoln, the two Roosevelts, and Harry Truman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/despite-its-flaws-the-american-electoral-system-has-produced-lincoln/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [For those of us who cry out for gun control, our fears cannot be eliminated as long as the country remains an armed camp…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/for-those-of-us-who-cry-out-for-gun-control-our-fears-cannot-be/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [The Atlantic conference in the North Atlantic off Newfoundland is a dramatic moment in World War II history because for the first time, Roosevelt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/the-atlantic-conference-in-the-north-atlantic-off-newfoundland-is-a/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [For style and for creating a mood of optimism and hope - Kennedy on that count is as effective as any president the country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/for-style-and-for-creating-a-mood-of-optimism-and-hope-kennedy-on/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [As for Vietnam, what matters is that Kennedy successfully resisted pressure to send anything more than military advisers, a stance that was a likely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/as-for-vietnam-what-matters-is-that-kennedy-successfully-resisted/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [Access to presidential materials should be as wide as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/access-to-presidential-materials-should-be-as-wide-as-possible/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [I think experience is a terribly overrated idea when it comes to thinking about who should become president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/i-think-experience-is-a-terribly-overrated-idea-when-it-comes-to/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [By the time a second term rolls around, the illusions about a president have largely evaporated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/by-the-time-a-second-term-rolls-around-the-illusions-about-a/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) [Explore all 130 Robert Dallek quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) [Browse all 26,122 About quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Public scandals are America's favorite parlor sport. Learning about the flaws and misdeeds of the rich and famous seems to satisfy our egalitarian yearnings.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Dallek" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/public-scandals-are-america-s-favorite-parlor-sport-learning-about/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/public-scandals-are-america-s-favorite-parlor-sport-learning-about/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ee/robert-dallek-3456_about_public-scandals-are-america-s-favorite-p_3019946.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ee/robert-dallek-3456_about_public-scandals-are-america-s-favorite-p_3019946.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ee/robert-dallek-3456_about_public-scandals-are-america-s-favorite-p_3019946.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Public scandals are America's favorite parlor sport. Learning about the flaws and misdeeds of the rich and…” — Robert Dallek", "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": "Robert Dallek", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Public scandals are America's favorite parlor...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/public-scandals-are-america-s-favorite-parlor-sport-learning-about/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/public-scandals-are-america-s-favorite-parlor-sport-learning-about/#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 } } ] } ```