--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don’t know if I’m partisan to the…" description: "\"“I don’t know if I’m partisan to the underdog or whether I’m the underdog.”\" — Studs Terkel" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c71/studs-terkel-3020_quote_i-don-t-know-if-i-m-partisan-to-the-unde_984327.jpg" --- # I don’t know if I’m partisan to the underdog or whether… ![“I don’t know if I’m partisan to the underdog or whether I’m the underdog.” quote by Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c71/studs-terkel-3020_quote_i-don-t-know-if-i-m-partisan-to-the-unde_984327.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c71/studs-terkel-3020_quote_i-don-t-know-if-i-m-partisan-to-the-unde_984327.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c71/studs-terkel-3020_quote_i-don-t-know-if-i-m-partisan-to-the-unde_984327.jpg) > ““I don’t know if I’m partisan to the underdog or whether I’m the underdog.”” [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker questions whether they naturally support the underdog or are themselves the underdog, highlighting self‑awareness and bias. **In simple terms:** Unsure if they favor the underdog or are one. Key Takeaway Examine your own position before judging. Themes identity bias self‑reflection Mood introspective curious Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - political debate - team dynamics - personal relationships Key Concepts psychology social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - Are you supporting the underdog for principle or self‑interest? - How does seeing yourself as the underdog change your actions? A Different Perspective May overlook actual power structures by focusing on labels. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Know Partisan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-partisan-1973863/) [Partisan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/partisan/) [Partisan Underdog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/partisan-underdog-1973862/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Underdog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/underdog/) [Underdog Underdog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/underdog-underdog-1215405/) ## Related quotes > [America champions the underdog. We champion the underdog until he's not the underdog anymore, and he annoys us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/america-champions-the-underdog-we-champion-the-underdog-until-he-s/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [I'm the most underdog underdog there is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-goldwater/i-m-the-most-underdog-underdog-there-is/) [Barry Goldwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-goldwater/) > [Everybody loves the underdog, and then they take an underdog and make him a hero and they hate him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-durst/everybody-loves-the-underdog-and-then-they-take-an-underdog-and-make-2/) [Fred Durst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-durst/) > [I have this rule. It's called 'Top Dog-Underdog:' Underdog gets to make fun of Top Dog, but Top Dog can't make fun of Underdog.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/i-have-this-rule-it-s-called-top-dog-underdog-underdog-gets-to-make/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [Everybody loves the underdog, and then they take an underdog and make him a hero and they hate him. But as long as they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-durst/everybody-loves-the-underdog-and-then-they-take-an-underdog-and-make/) [Fred Durst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-durst/) > [I'm always an underdog. I was an underdog on 'Bachelor,' too. People underestimate me, but there's a lot going on upstairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabby-windey/i-m-always-an-underdog-i-was-an-underdog-on-bachelor-too-people/) [Gabby Windey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabby-windey/) > [As a result of the kind of partisan trench warfare that's going on in Washington, the special interests on both sides basically drive the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/as-a-result-of-the-kind-of-partisan-trench-warfare-that-s-going-on-in/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [The reason that last-ditch political maneuvering has become business as usual in Washington is that the actors involved are drunk on blame and are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kirn/the-reason-that-last-ditch-political-maneuvering-has-become-business/) [Walter Kirn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kirn/) > [I think that non-partisan primaries would be great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-taylor/i-think-that-non-partisan-primaries-would-be-great/) [Diana Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-taylor/) > [The partisan when he is engaged in a dispute, cares nothing about the rights of the question, but is anxious only to convince his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/the-partisan-when-he-is-engaged-in-a-dispute-cares-nothing-about-the/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [I have a pretty friendly professional working relationship with Mr. Pai, and I told him not to walk down too much of a partisan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-schatz/i-have-a-pretty-friendly-professional-working-relationship-with-mr/) [Brian Schatz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-schatz/) > [The real problem with big issues like Medicare is that both parties have to be brave at the same time. Every pollster will tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/the-real-problem-with-big-issues-like-medicare-is-that-both-parties/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [Partisan politics has no place in the classroom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-cole/partisan-politics-has-no-place-in-the-classroom/) [Juan Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-cole/) > [Children's books are by nature partisan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-walters/children-s-books-are-by-nature-partisan/) [Eric Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-walters/) > [“Non poteva più vivere senza sapere e, soprattutto, non poteva morire senza sapere, in un'epoca in cui i ragazzi come lui erano chiamati più…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/non-poteva-pi-vivere-senza-sapere-e-soprattutto-non-poteva-morire/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Studs Terkel > [My epitaph? My epitaph will be, 'Curiosity did not kill this cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/my-epitaph-my-epitaph-will-be-curiosity-did-not-kill-this-cat/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [“It was in ’35—we had this campaign to raise a million tax dollars. In the town of Phillips, one evening, during a blizzard, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/it-was-in-35-we-had-this-campaign-to-raise-a-million-tax-dollars-in/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [I read somewhere that when a person takes part in community action, his health improves. Something happens to him or to her biologically. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/i-read-somewhere-that-when-a-person-takes-part-in-community-action/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [Don't be an examiner, be the interested inquirer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/don-t-be-an-examiner-be-the-interested-inquirer/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [Hope never trickles down. It always springs up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/hope-never-trickles-down-it-always-springs-up/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [I never drove a car. I'm hopeless that way. I press the wrong buttons on the tape recorder. But if the person I'm interviewing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/i-never-drove-a-car-i-m-hopeless-that-way-i-press-the-wrong-buttons/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [To survive the day is triumph enough for the walking wounded among the great many of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/to-survive-the-day-is-triumph-enough-for-the-walking-wounded-among/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [“I’ll never forget that Depression Easter Sunday. Our son was four years old. I bought ten or fifteen cents’ worth of eggs. You didn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/i-ll-never-forget-that-depression-easter-sunday-our-son-was-four/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [All you need in life is truth and beauty and you can find both at the Public Library.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/all-you-need-in-life-is-truth-and-beauty-and-you-can-find-both-at-the/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [Reading a book should not be a passive exercise, but rather a raucous conversation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/reading-a-book-should-not-be-a-passive-exercise-but-rather-a-raucous/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [I hope for peace and sanity - it's the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/i-hope-for-peace-and-sanity-it-s-the-same-thing/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [“The total cost of the Federal Arts Project was only $23 million. Many of these paintings, sculptures and prints were given to museums, courthouses,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/the-total-cost-of-the-federal-arts-project-was-only-23-million-many/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [I find labels "liberal" and "conservative" of little meaning. Our language has become perverted along with the thoughts of many of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/i-find-labels-liberal-and-conservative-of-little-meaning-our-language/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [“Who knows Bob’s name in this outfit—let alone his lame child’s? (“The last place I worked for, I was let go,” recalls the bank…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/who-knows-bob-s-name-in-this-outfit-let-alone-his-lame-child-s-the/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [The trouble with censorship is that once it starts it is hard to stop. Just about every book contains something that someone objects to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/the-trouble-with-censorship-is-that-once-it-starts-it-is-hard-to-stop/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) [Explore all 142 Studs Terkel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) ## More Partisan quotes > [“Non poteva più vivere senza sapere e, soprattutto, non poteva morire senza sapere, in un'epoca in cui i ragazzi come lui erano chiamati più…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/non-poteva-pi-vivere-senza-sapere-e-soprattutto-non-poteva-morire/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Children's books are by nature partisan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-walters/children-s-books-are-by-nature-partisan/) [Eric Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-walters/) > [Partisan politics has no place in the classroom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-cole/partisan-politics-has-no-place-in-the-classroom/) [Juan Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-cole/) > [The real problem with big issues like Medicare is that both parties have to be brave at the same time. Every pollster will tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/the-real-problem-with-big-issues-like-medicare-is-that-both-parties/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [I have a pretty friendly professional working relationship with Mr. Pai, and I told him not to walk down too much of a partisan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-schatz/i-have-a-pretty-friendly-professional-working-relationship-with-mr/) [Brian Schatz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-schatz/) > [The partisan when he is engaged in a dispute, cares nothing about the rights of the question, but is anxious only to convince his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/the-partisan-when-he-is-engaged-in-a-dispute-cares-nothing-about-the/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [I think that non-partisan primaries would be great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-taylor/i-think-that-non-partisan-primaries-would-be-great/) [Diana Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-taylor/) > [The reason that last-ditch political maneuvering has become business as usual in Washington is that the actors involved are drunk on blame and are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kirn/the-reason-that-last-ditch-political-maneuvering-has-become-business/) [Walter Kirn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kirn/) > [As a result of the kind of partisan trench warfare that's going on in Washington, the special interests on both sides basically drive the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/as-a-result-of-the-kind-of-partisan-trench-warfare-that-s-going-on-in/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [Even as a partisan Republican, I'm not sure a 40-year run is healthy for either party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gillespie/even-as-a-partisan-republican-i-m-not-sure-a-40-year-run-is-healthy/) [Ed Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gillespie/) > [Let a man be of what side he may in politics, unless he be much more of a partisan than a patriot, he will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/let-a-man-be-of-what-side-he-may-in-politics-unless-he-be-much-more/) [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) > [Refusing to lift sanctions and adopting tougher rhetoric toward Iran would not be partisan issues. Plenty of Democrats think that those actions are both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/refusing-to-lift-sanctions-and-adopting-tougher-rhetoric-toward-iran/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [American media has just become talk radio, incredibly partisan name-calling and op-eds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-smith/american-media-has-just-become-talk-radio-incredibly-partisan-name/) [Shane Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-smith/) > [The trouble is nowadays that parts of the media operate in a very partisan way. There's no point in complaining about it, that's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/the-trouble-is-nowadays-that-parts-of-the-media-operate-in-a-very/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [“One of the expedients of party to acquire influence, within particular districts, is to misrepresent the opinions and aims of other districts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/one-of-the-expedients-of-party-to-acquire-influence-within-particular/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) [Browse all 164 Partisan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/partisan/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I don’t know if I’m partisan to the underdog or whether I’m the underdog.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Studs Terkel" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/i-don-t-know-if-i-m-partisan-to-the-underdog-or-whether-i-m-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Partisan" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/i-don-t-know-if-i-m-partisan-to-the-underdog-or-whether-i-m-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c71/studs-terkel-3020_quote_i-don-t-know-if-i-m-partisan-to-the-unde_984327.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c71/studs-terkel-3020_quote_i-don-t-know-if-i-m-partisan-to-the-unde_984327.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c71/studs-terkel-3020_quote_i-don-t-know-if-i-m-partisan-to-the-unde_984327.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don’t know if I’m partisan to the underdog or whether I’m the underdog.” — Studs Terkel", "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": "Studs Terkel", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I don’t know if I’m partisan...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/i-don-t-know-if-i-m-partisan-to-the-underdog-or-whether-i-m-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/i-don-t-know-if-i-m-partisan-to-the-underdog-or-whether-i-m-the/#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 } } ] } ```