--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What excites me is that, when things are…" description: "\"What excites me is that, when things are tough, people become resourceful, and now with the Internet, social networking and the ability for people who ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66d/shepard-fairey-7921_ability_what-excites-me-is-that-when-things-are_1163283.jpg" --- # What excites me is that, when things are tough, people… ![“What excites me is that, when things are tough, people become resourceful, and now with the Internet, social networking and the ability for people who in the past had been relatively powerless, they have tools to be able to spread ideas and organize. The urgency is there and the tools are there…” quote by Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66d/shepard-fairey-7921_ability_what-excites-me-is-that-when-things-are_1163283.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66d/shepard-fairey-7921_ability_what-excites-me-is-that-when-things-are_1163283.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66d/shepard-fairey-7921_ability_what-excites-me-is-that-when-things-are_1163283.jpg) > “What excites me is that, when things are tough, people become resourceful, and now with the Internet, social networking and the ability for people who in the past had been relatively powerless, they have tools to be able to spread ideas and organize. The urgency is there and the tools are there and I think that the possibility for really, really powerful results is there. I think it's all brewing, it's all bubbling up right now.” [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People become inventive under pressure, and digital tools now empower the previously powerless to mobilize ideas. **In simple terms:** Tools enable the powerless to organize. Key Takeaway Leverage digital platforms for collective action. Themes activism technology empowerment Mood hopeful urgent Type political inspirational When to use this quote - grassroots campaigns - political movements - online fundraising Key Concepts network theory social capital Questions to Reflect On - What tools amplify your voice? - How can you avoid misinformation? A Different Perspective Risk of echo chambers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Internet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internet/) [Networking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/networking/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Possibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possibility/) [Powerless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerless/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social network](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-network/) [Social networking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-networking/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Tools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tools/) [Urgency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/urgency/) ## Related quotes > [There are people who are very resourceful, at being remorseful, and who apparently feel that the best way to make friends is to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/there-are-people-who-are-very-resourceful-at-being-remorseful-and-who/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [Resourcefulnes s is the cure to failure. Successful people are resourceful and find a way to make it work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/resourcefulnes-s-is-the-cure-to-failure-successful-people-are/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [We are more connected than ever before, more able to spread our ideas and beliefs, our anger and fears. As we exercise the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-are-more-connected-than-ever-before-more-able-to-spread-our-ideas/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Future belongs to those who can spread ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/the-future-belongs-to-those-who-can-spread-ideas/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [And it doesn't matter to me whether you're running a coffee shop or you're an intellectual or you're in business or flying hot air…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/and-it-doesn-t-matter-to-me-whether-you-re-running-a-coffee-shop-or/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [People who can spread ideas regardless of what those ideas are, win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/people-who-can-spread-ideas-regardless-of-what-those-ideas-are-win/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [My goal is to spread ideas. Trends always start at the top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homaro-cantu/my-goal-is-to-spread-ideas-trends-always-start-at-the-top/) [Homaro Cantu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homaro-cantu/) > [Brewing a good cuppa is something not everyone can do, and I loathe bad tea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stewart/brewing-a-good-cuppa-is-something-not-everyone-can-do-and-i-loathe/) [Rod Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-stewart/) > [I am the outcast come home to roost and the eggs of tomorrow are incubating in my fame. You hate me, you love me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-the-outcast-come-home-to-roost-and-the-eggs-of-tomorrow-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I have wished to see chemistry applied to domestic objects, to malting, for instance, brewing, making cider, to fermentation and distillation generally, to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-have-wished-to-see-chemistry-applied-to-domestic-objects-to-malting/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [If it's either food or woodworking or brewing... I particularly like making things that I can share with people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/if-it-s-either-food-or-woodworking-or-brewing-i-particularly-like/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) > [I'm always writing. There is always a story brewing in my head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-gibson/i-m-always-writing-there-is-always-a-story-brewing-in-my-head/) [Mel Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-gibson/) > [Gimme a pigfoot and a bottle of beer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-joplin/gimme-a-pigfoot-and-a-bottle-of-beer/) [Janis Joplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-joplin/) > [They still talk about the night that Augie Pabst, a fresh-faced heir to the brewing fortune, drove a rented Falcon into the swimming pool…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brock-yates/they-still-talk-about-the-night-that-augie-pabst-a-fresh-faced-heir/) [Brock Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brock-yates/) > [There's always another storm. It's the way the world works. Snowstorms, rainstorms, windstorms, sandstorms, and firestorms. Some are fierce and others are small. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-v-snyder/there-s-always-another-storm-it-s-the-way-the-world-works-snowstorms/) [Maria V. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-v-snyder/) ## More by Shepard Fairey > [When it comes to the street-art world, there are a lot of people who realize if they go out and put up a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/when-it-comes-to-the-street-art-world-there-are-a-lot-of-people-who/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) > [Obama has had a really tough time, but there have been a lot of things that he's compromised on that I never would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/obama-has-had-a-really-tough-time-but-there-have-been-a-lot-of-things/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) > [I never set out to be a groundbreaking artist in the sense of doing something that's never been done before. I set out to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/i-never-set-out-to-be-a-groundbreaking-artist-in-the-sense-of-doing/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) > [For me, there has always been a disconnect with the sort of elitist structure of the high-art world - and my distaste for that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/for-me-there-has-always-been-a-disconnect-with-the-sort-of-elitist/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) > [If you're creating something that has some sort of cultural currency - if the idea is getting out there - then that will probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/if-you-re-creating-something-that-has-some-sort-of-cultural-currency/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) > [Every spoof gives more power to the original.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/every-spoof-gives-more-power-to-the-original/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) > [There's good and bad in every arena. It's funny, some people, the reason they're in the underground is because they're lazy and don't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/there-s-good-and-bad-in-every-arena-it-s-funny-some-people-the-reason/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) > [I consider myself a multi-platform artist - not just a street artist - but the audience I found through street art has created many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/i-consider-myself-a-multi-platform-artist-not-just-a-street-artist/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) > [There are too many bad policy choices to go into that are being pushed by the Trump Administration, but the relaxation of environmental regulations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/there-are-too-many-bad-policy-choices-to-go-into-that-are-being/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) > [Creating is about sharing ideas, sharing aesthetics, sharing what you believe in with other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/creating-is-about-sharing-ideas-sharing-aesthetics-sharing-what-you/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) > [Street art, of course, is political, because it's illegal, so the very act of doing it is an act of defiance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/street-art-of-course-is-political-because-it-s-illegal-so-the-very/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) > [People romanticize struggle and obscurity, and I get that, but it's a very one-dimensional argument to say that people who have money are evil,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/people-romanticize-struggle-and-obscurity-and-i-get-that-but-it-s-a/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) > [If any group wants to not be disenfranchised, then understanding that there's going to be a learning curve for people who have disenfranchised them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/if-any-group-wants-to-not-be-disenfranchised-then-understanding-that/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) > [Why is non-commercial public expression considered criminal?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/why-is-non-commercial-public-expression-considered-criminal/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) > [I think the Internet has definitely made it easier for people to have stuff seen, but it's also encouraged a level of ADD, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/i-think-the-internet-has-definitely-made-it-easier-for-people-to-have/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) [Explore all 86 Shepard Fairey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What excites me is that, when things are tough, people become resourceful, and now with the Internet, social networking and the ability for people who in the past had been relatively powerless, they have tools to be able to spread ideas and organize. 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