--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If the will remains in protest, it stays…" description: "\"If the will remains in protest, it stays dependent on that which it is protesting against.\" — Rollo May" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/523/rollo-may-1295_dependent_if-the-will-remains-in-protest-it-stays_1293881.jpg" --- # If the will remains in protest, it stays dependent on that… ![“If the will remains in protest, it stays dependent on that which it is protesting against.” quote by Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/523/rollo-may-1295_dependent_if-the-will-remains-in-protest-it-stays_1293881.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/523/rollo-may-1295_dependent_if-the-will-remains-in-protest-it-stays_1293881.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/523/rollo-may-1295_dependent_if-the-will-remains-in-protest-it-stays_1293881.jpg) > “If the will remains in protest, it stays dependent on that which it is protesting against.” [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suggests protest loses power when it remains dependent on the object it opposes. **In simple terms:** Protest must be independent of its target. Key Takeaway Cultivate autonomous resistance. Themes activism independence philosophy Mood analytical philosophical Type political theory existential reflection When to use this quote - political movements - labor strikes - civil rights - environmental activism Key Concepts existentialism social change Questions to Reflect On - How can protest stay effective without attachment? - What alternatives exist to direct opposition? A Different Perspective Total disengagement can weaken purpose. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dependent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dependent/) [Dependent Protesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dependent-protesting-4224324/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Protest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protest/) [Protest Stays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protest-stays-4224323/) [Protesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protesting/) [Remains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remains/) [Remains Protest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remains-protest-4224322/) [Stays Dependent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stays-dependent-4224325/) ## Related quotes > [“To riot or not to riot, that is the question.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/to-riot-or-not-to-riot-that-is-the-question/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [At some point, you protest too much they think you're guilty just because you're protesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-corgan/at-some-point-you-protest-too-much-they-think-you-re-guilty-just/) [Billy Corgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-corgan/) > [The Democratic Party hasn't whipped anybody into a frenzy. The assumption is that the people that are marching and protesting and standing up against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-sharpton/the-democratic-party-hasn-t-whipped-anybody-into-a-frenzy-the/) [Al Sharpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-sharpton/) > [When my people are dying, that's when you gonna catch me protesting. I'm not gonna protest because somebody got offered not the amount of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-haddish/when-my-people-are-dying-that-s-when-you-gonna-catch-me-protesting-i/) [Tiffany Haddish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-haddish/) > [“Protesting can be as simple as not participating in the Pledge of Allegiance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/protesting-can-be-as-simple-as-not-participating-in-the-pledge-of/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [What signifies protesting so against flattery when a person speaks well of one, it must either be true or false, you know if true,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/what-signifies-protesting-so-against-flattery-when-a-person-speaks/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [No music is going to stop the war. What's going to stop the war is a large amount of body bags, or a large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-vedder/no-music-is-going-to-stop-the-war-what-s-going-to-stop-the-war-is-a/) [Eddie Vedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-vedder/) > [“It’s complete madness! There are cars on fire, shops being looted by teenagers, people rioting and protesting over something they have no control over.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-medina/it-s-complete-madness-there-are-cars-on-fire-shops-being-looted-by/) [Jason Medina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-medina/) > [“Do not expect those the system has strategically elevated to support you in your fight to make the system work for every citizen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduvie-donald/do-not-expect-those-the-system-has-strategically-elevated-to-support/) [Eduvie Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduvie-donald/) > [Arresting opposition leaders and restricting civil society will not stop people from protesting, but it can create leaderless movements that leave no one with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/arresting-opposition-leaders-and-restricting-civil-society-will-not/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [The dignity of truth is lost with much protesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/the-dignity-of-truth-is-lost-with-much-protesting/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) > [My mother was an elementary school teacher for 35 years and taught at the Nixon School in New Jersey. I was raised as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dinklage/my-mother-was-an-elementary-school-teacher-for-35-years-and-taught-at/) [Peter Dinklage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-dinklage/) > [Popular thought appeals to crowds, gatherings and tribes, who use it as a way to guide the herd. It is very evident in protests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/popular-thought-appeals-to-crowds-gatherings-and-tribes-who-use-it-as/) [Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/) > [“FLIES IN DISGUISE Tell me, Have you Really seen Flies in a child's eyes Or heard their hungry cries In the middle Of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/flies-in-disguise-tell-me-have-you-really-seen-flies-in-a-child-s/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [I wonder if those people shown protesting the deployment of nuclear weapons to western Europe during the Reagan era are feeling appropriately stupid today.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-wonder-if-those-people-shown-protesting-the-deployment-of-nuclear/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Rollo May > [Human freedom involves our capacity to pause between the stimulus and response and, in that pause, to choose the one response toward which we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/human-freedom-involves-our-capacity-to-pause-between-the-stimulus-and/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Political freedom is to be cherished indeed. But there is no political freedom that is not indissolubly bound to the inner personal freedom of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/political-freedom-is-to-be-cherished-indeed-but-there-is-no-political/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Joy is the effect which comes when we use our powers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/joy-is-the-effect-which-comes-when-we-use-our-powers/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [In religion, it is not the sycophants or those who cling most faithfully to the status quo who are ultimately praised. It is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/in-religion-it-is-not-the-sycophants-or-those-who-cling-most/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [One of the few blessings of living in an age of anxiety is that we are forced to become aware of ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/one-of-the-few-blessings-of-living-in-an-age-of-anxiety-is-that-we/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Intimacy requires courage because risk is inescapable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/intimacy-requires-courage-because-risk-is-inescapable/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Artists do not run away from non-being, but by encountering and wrestling with it, force it to produce being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/artists-do-not-run-away-from-non-being-but-by-encountering-and/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [“Technology is the knack of so arranging the world that we do not experience it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/technology-is-the-knack-of-so-arranging-the-world-that-we-do-not/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [By the creative act, we are able to reach beyond our own death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/by-the-creative-act-we-are-able-to-reach-beyond-our-own-death/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Joy is the zest that you get out of using your talents, your understanding, the totality of your being, for great aims...That's the kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/joy-is-the-zest-that-you-get-out-of-using-your-talents-your/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [One must have at least a readiness to love the other person, broadly speaking, if one is to be able to understand him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/one-must-have-at-least-a-readiness-to-love-the-other-person-broadly/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Man is the "ethical animal" ethical in potentiality even if, unfortunately, not in actuality. His capacity for ethical judgment like freedom, reason and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/man-is-the-ethical-animal-ethical-in-potentiality-even-if/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Evil, in this system of ethics, is that which tears apart, shuts out the other person, raises barriers, sets people against each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/evil-in-this-system-of-ethics-is-that-which-tears-apart-shuts-out-the/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [We receive love — from our children as well as others — not in proportion to our demands or sacrifices or needs, but roughly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/we-receive-love-from-our-children-as-well-as-others-not-in-proportion/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice, it is conformity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/the-opposite-of-courage-in-our-society-is-not-cowardice-it-is/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) [Explore all 259 Rollo May quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) ## More Dependent quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [Almost everywhere we find . . . the use of various coercive measures, to rid ourselves as quickly as possible of the child withinus--i.e.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/almost-everywhere-we-find-the-use-of-various-coercive-measures-to-rid/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [There could be no more powerful argument against mixing religion and government than the success of independent African American churches in placing racial segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/there-could-be-no-more-powerful-argument-against-mixing-religion-and/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [An actor doesn't have a regular job. He is dependent upon the roles which are given him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-heflin/an-actor-doesn-t-have-a-regular-job-he-is-dependent-upon-the-roles/) [Van Heflin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-heflin/) > [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [The average well-being of our societies is not dependent any longer on national income and economic growth. ... But the differences between us and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-g-wilkinson/the-average-well-being-of-our-societies-is-not-dependent-any-longer/) [Richard G. Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-g-wilkinson/) > [I always knew I wanted to make my own way; I never wanted to be dependent on my father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamara-mellon/i-always-knew-i-wanted-to-make-my-own-way-i-never-wanted-to-be/) [Tamara Mellon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamara-mellon/) > [Rock music is electronic music, dependent entirely on electronic circuitry and amplification.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-frusciante/rock-music-is-electronic-music-dependent-entirely-on-electronic/) [John Frusciante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-frusciante/) > [Sometimes I envy painters, it is wonderful to remain in front of a bouquet of flowers a whole morning, or even longer. A photographer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edouard-boubat/sometimes-i-envy-painters-it-is-wonderful-to-remain-in-front-of-a/) [Edouard Boubat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edouard-boubat/) > [We became closer and closer at the end of Freddie's life, and I think we were co-dependent in many ways. We stuck together for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-taylor/we-became-closer-and-closer-at-the-end-of-freddie-s-life-and-i-think/) [Roger Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-taylor/) > [When a government is dependent upon bankers for money, they and not the leaders of the government control the situation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/when-a-government-is-dependent-upon-bankers-for-money-they-and-not/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [The gospel assures you that your value is not dependent on your looks or material possessions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-l-jack/the-gospel-assures-you-that-your-value-is-not-dependent-on-your-looks/) [Elaine L. Jack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-l-jack/) > [The pride of learning is against the dependent humility of prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-mckendree-bounds/the-pride-of-learning-is-against-the-dependent-humility-of-prayer/) [Edward McKendree Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-mckendree-bounds/) > [As a social and as a personal force, religion has become a dependent variable. It does not originate; it reacts. It does not denounce;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-wright-mills/as-a-social-and-as-a-personal-force-religion-has-become-a-dependent/) [C. Wright Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-wright-mills/) > [The effective leader recognizes that she is more dependent on her people than they are on her. Walk softly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/the-effective-leader-recognizes-that-she-is-more-dependent-on-her/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) [Browse all 1,142 Dependent quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dependent/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If the will remains in protest, it stays dependent on that which it is protesting against.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rollo May" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/if-the-will-remains-in-protest-it-stays-dependent-on-that-which-it-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dependent" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/if-the-will-remains-in-protest-it-stays-dependent-on-that-which-it-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/523/rollo-may-1295_dependent_if-the-will-remains-in-protest-it-stays_1293881.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/523/rollo-may-1295_dependent_if-the-will-remains-in-protest-it-stays_1293881.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/523/rollo-may-1295_dependent_if-the-will-remains-in-protest-it-stays_1293881.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If the will remains in protest, it stays dependent on that which it is protesting against.” — Rollo May", "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": "Rollo May", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If the will remains in protest,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/if-the-will-remains-in-protest-it-stays-dependent-on-that-which-it-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/if-the-will-remains-in-protest-it-stays-dependent-on-that-which-it-is/#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 } } ] } ```