Compliments Quote by Rutherford B. Hayes
““The man who does that which avails in reforms or other good works always has clubs thrown at him. The nobodies are passed over in Silence, or with good natured unmeaning compliments after they leave high places.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Address to the Republican National Convention, 1880
People who push reforms often face backlash, while those who stay silent receive polite praise.
In simple terms: Reformers get attacked; quiet people get praised.
Key Takeaway
Expect resistance when challenging the status quo.
Themes
reform
resistance
recognition
politics
power
social change
Mood
defiant
reflective
critical
Type
political
social
When to use this quote
- political campaigns
- nonprofit advocacy
- corporate reform
- community organizing
Key Concepts
activism
public perception
status quo
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you handle criticism when advocating change?
- What incentives keep people silent?
A Different Perspective
Quiet compliance can perpetuate injustice.
![“Reprehension is a kind of middle thing betwixt admonition and correction: it is sharpe admonition, but a milde correction. It is rather to be used because it may be a meanes to prevent strokes and blowes, especially in ingenuous and good natured children. [Blows are] the last remedy which a parent…” quote by William Gouge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8b8/william-gouge-47709_admonition_reprehension-is-a-kind-of-middle-thing-b_174332.jpg)
![“My father and mother in 1817 were forty-nine days on the road with their emigrant wagons [from Vermont] to Ohio. More than two days for each hour that I spent in the same journey.” quote by Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/290/rutherford-b-hayes-3486_father_my-father-and-mother-in-1817-were-forty_289081.jpg)
