---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When it comes to arrogance, power, and…"
description: "\"“When it comes to arrogance, power, and lack of accountability, journalists are probably the only people on the planet who make lawyers look good.”\" — ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d6/steven-brill-279996_journalist_when-it-comes-to-arrogance-power-and-lac_2644534.jpg"
---

#  When it comes to arrogance, power, and lack of…

![“When it comes to arrogance, power, and lack of accountability, journalists are probably the only people on the planet who make lawyers look good.” quote by Steven Brill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d6/steven-brill-279996_journalist_when-it-comes-to-arrogance-power-and-lac_2644534.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d6/steven-brill-279996_journalist_when-it-comes-to-arrogance-power-and-lac_2644534.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d6/steven-brill-279996_journalist_when-it-comes-to-arrogance-power-and-lac_2644534.jpg)

> ““When it comes to arrogance, power, and lack of accountability, journalists are probably the only people on the planet who make lawyers look good.””

[Steven Brill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-brill/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Journalists, when arrogant and unaccountable, paradoxically make lawyers appear respectable.

**In simple terms:** Arrogant journalists boost lawyers’ image.

Key Takeaway

Demand accountability from media.

Themes

journalism power accountability law public perception

Mood

critical skeptical

Type

analysis quote

When to use this quote

- news consumption
- legal profession
- public discourse

Key Concepts

ethics media criticism societal trust

Questions to Reflect On

- How does lack of accountability affect trust?
- What standards should journalists uphold?

A Different Perspective

Media bias can skew truth.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Accountability Journalists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accountability-journalists-2298306/) [Journalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalist/) [Journalists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalists/) [Journalists Probably](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalists-probably-2298307/) [Lack Of Accountability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lack-of-accountability/) [Lawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lawyer/) [Lawyers Look](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lawyers-look-2298308/) [Make Lawyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-lawyers-2298309/)

## Related quotes

> [Most people are not shocked that I am occasionally rude to journalists. They are probably amazed I don't punch one in the face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-livingstone/most-people-are-not-shocked-that-i-am-occasionally-rude-to/)

[Ken Livingstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-livingstone/)

> [I'm a lawyer. I make lawyers for a living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/i-m-a-lawyer-i-make-lawyers-for-a-living/)

[Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/)

> [If we're picking people to draw out of their own conscience and experience a 'new' Constitution, we should not look principally for good lawyers.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/if-we-re-picking-people-to-draw-out-of-their-own-conscience-and/)

[Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/)

> [“What really made me leave, though, was not a lack of promotions or tenure—they ultimately tried to give me both. It was the lack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-bacal/what-really-made-me-leave-though-was-not-a-lack-of-promotions-or/)

[Jessica Bacal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-bacal/)

> [Biggest problem withthe laziness, lack of effort &amp; determination these days in players is the lack of accountability from the coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/biggest-problem-withthe-laziness-lack-of-effort-determination-these/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Expenditures have gone rampant in Puerto Rico: lack of accountability - total lack of accountability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-rossello/expenditures-have-gone-rampant-in-puerto-rico-lack-of-accountability/)

[Ricardo Rossello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-rossello/)

> [Freedom is not the same as lack of accountability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-powers/freedom-is-not-the-same-as-lack-of-accountability/)

[Kevin Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-powers/)

> [Lack of accountability weakens the environmental and health rights of citizens; it damages peace- building and reconciliation initiatives; impedes the implementation of global health…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/widad-akrawi/lack-of-accountability-weakens-the-environmental-and-health-rights-of/)

[Widad Akrawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/widad-akrawi/)

> [“In his essays on the need for executive-branch vigor, Hamilton continually invoked the king of England as an example of what should be avoided,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-chernow/in-his-essays-on-the-need-for-executive-branch-vigor-hamilton/)

[Ron Chernow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-chernow/)

> [The fight against child slavery is the fight against traditional mindset, policy deficit, and lack of accountability and urgency for children across the globe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailash-satyarthi/the-fight-against-child-slavery-is-the-fight-against-traditional/)

[Kailash Satyarthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailash-satyarthi/)

> [Across the world, the lack of accountability for the harm to the environment and public health caused by conflict and military activities undermines global…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/widad-akrawi/across-the-world-the-lack-of-accountability-for-the-harm-to-the/)

[Widad Akrawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/widad-akrawi/)

> [Lack of accountability equates to lack of trust which equates to lack of opportunity which equates to lack of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lack-of-accountability-equates-to-lack-of-trust-which-equates-to-lack/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“The obvious pollution occurring in many places - worst of all, in the planned societies- has encouraged the growth of the environmental movement, which,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-kasun/the-obvious-pollution-occurring-in-many-places-worst-of-all-in-the/)

[Jacqueline Kasun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-kasun/)

> [The degradation of our environment is undeniably a direct result of our lack of regard, lack of accountability, and lack of responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-reed/the-degradation-of-our-environment-is-undeniably-a-direct-result-of/)

[Nikki Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-reed/)

> [Our government has become incompetent, unresponsive, corrupt. And that incompetence, ineptitude, lack of accountability is now dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-fiorina/our-government-has-become-incompetent-unresponsive-corrupt-and-that/)

[Carly Fiorina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-fiorina/)

## More Journalist quotes

> [If, for instance, they have heard something from the postman, they attribute it to a semi-official statement; if they have fallen into conversation with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/if-for-instance-they-have-heard-something-from-the-postman-they/)

[Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/)

> [Music journalists love Elvis Costello and hate me because they look like Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lee-roth/music-journalists-love-elvis-costello-and-hate-me-because-they-look/)

[David Lee Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lee-roth/)

> [I realized I couldn't be a journalist because I like to take a side, to have an opinion and a point a view; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-leibovitz/i-realized-i-couldn-t-be-a-journalist-because-i-like-to-take-a-side/)

[Annie Leibovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-leibovitz/)

> [The official independence celebration was going to be held over four or five days, and a group of journalists from all over the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryszard-kapuscinski/the-official-independence-celebration-was-going-to-be-held-over-four/)

[Ryszard Kapuscinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryszard-kapuscinski/)

> [This ball was so crowded that it took me - a trained professional journalist with vast experience in this area - forty five minutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/this-ball-was-so-crowded-that-it-took-me-a-trained-professional/)

[Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/)

> [“I’m a journalist, and journalists need news. Deprive them of it, and they go a bit barking. Deprive them of news long enough, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/i-m-a-journalist-and-journalists-need-news-deprive-them-of-it-and/)

[Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/)

> [There's this American pretense, which is the pretense of the journalist with the view from nowhere - which has somehow morphed into the journalist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masha-gessen/there-s-this-american-pretense-which-is-the-pretense-of-the/)

[Masha Gessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masha-gessen/)

> [No-deal Brexit could be Boris Johnson's biggest deception yet - worse than the Boris bus or the lies that had him sacked as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-davey/no-deal-brexit-could-be-boris-johnson-s-biggest-deception-yet-worse/)

[Ed Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-davey/)

> [I never intended to be a journalist. Frankly, I don't think I ever was a journalist. I backed into it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-shames/i-never-intended-to-be-a-journalist-frankly-i-don-t-think-i-ever-was/)

[Laurence Shames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-shames/)

> [A historian is not always a prophet facing backwards, but a journalist is always someone who afterwards knew everything beforehand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/a-historian-is-not-always-a-prophet-facing-backwards-but-a-journalist/)

[Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/)

> [In the end I'm still a writer. I'm still a journalist, and my first responsibility is to my readers. That's where I have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/in-the-end-i-m-still-a-writer-i-m-still-a-journalist-and-my-first/)

[Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/)

> [Journalists are notoriously easy to kid. All you have to do is speak to a journalist in a very serious tone of voice, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/journalists-are-notoriously-easy-to-kid-all-you-have-to-do-is-speak/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [I was for many years myself a journalist and it is not appropriate to say a programme should not be broadcast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-monckton/i-was-for-many-years-myself-a-journalist-and-it-is-not-appropriate-to/)

[Christopher Monckton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-monckton/)

> [Of necessity, we made the discovery that it is easier to turn poets into business journalists than to turn bookkeepers into writers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-r-luce/of-necessity-we-made-the-discovery-that-it-is-easier-to-turn-poets/)

[Henry R. Luce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-r-luce/)

> [Like a versatile baller, George Dohrmann swings seamlessly from position to position: investigative journalist, social critic, gifted storyteller. The result is a gem of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-jon-wertheim/like-a-versatile-baller-george-dohrmann-swings-seamlessly-from/)

[L. Jon Wertheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-jon-wertheim/)

[Browse all 1,737 Journalist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalist/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“When it comes to arrogance, power, and lack of accountability, journalists are probably the only people on the planet who make lawyers look good.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Steven Brill"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-brill/when-it-comes-to-arrogance-power-and-lack-of-accountability/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Journalist"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-brill/when-it-comes-to-arrogance-power-and-lack-of-accountability/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d6/steven-brill-279996_journalist_when-it-comes-to-arrogance-power-and-lac_2644534.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d6/steven-brill-279996_journalist_when-it-comes-to-arrogance-power-and-lac_2644534.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d6/steven-brill-279996_journalist_when-it-comes-to-arrogance-power-and-lac_2644534.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“When it comes to arrogance, power, and lack of accountability, journalists are probably the only people on…” — Steven Brill",
                "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": "Steven Brill",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-brill/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“When it comes to arrogance, power,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-brill/when-it-comes-to-arrogance-power-and-lack-of-accountability/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-brill/when-it-comes-to-arrogance-power-and-lack-of-accountability/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
