--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For the ethical, political activism was…" description: "\"“For the ethical, political activism was seductive because it seemed to offer the possibility that one could improve society, make things better, witho..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a1/tom-robbins-169_political-activism_for-the-ethical-political-activism-was-s_93701.jpg" --- # For the ethical, political activism was seductive because… ![“For the ethical, political activism was seductive because it seemed to offer the possibility that one could improve society, make things better, without going through the personal ordeal of rearranging one's perceptions and transforming one's self. For the unconscionable, political reactivism was…” quote by Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a1/tom-robbins-169_political-activism_for-the-ethical-political-activism-was-s_93701.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a1/tom-robbins-169_political-activism_for-the-ethical-political-activism-was-s_93701.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a1/tom-robbins-169_political-activism_for-the-ethical-political-activism-was-s_93701.jpg) > ““For the ethical, political activism was seductive because it seemed to offer the possibility that one could improve society, make things better, without going through the personal ordeal of rearranging one's perceptions and transforming one's self. For the unconscionable, political reactivism was seductive because it seemed to protect one's holdings and legitimize one's greed. But both sides were gazing through a kerchief of illusion.”” [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote contrasts two motives for political activism: idealistic desire to improve society versus self‑serving attempts to protect personal interests, both obscured by illusion. **In simple terms:** Activism can be noble or self‑serving, both clouded by illusion. Key Takeaway Political motives are often masked by deceptive narratives. Themes politics activism motivation illusion ethics Mood cynical thought‑provoking Type philosophical social critique When to use this quote - Campaign volunteering - Corporate lobbying - Social media activism Key Concepts self‑deception ideology Practical Applications - Encourage critical self‑examination before joining movements - Promote transparency of personal stakes Questions to Reflect On - What signs reveal hidden self‑interest in activism? - How can one discern authentic political commitment? A Different Perspective Not all activists are driven by illusion; many act from genuine conviction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Activism Seductive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activism-seductive-1156810/) [Ethical Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethical-political-630494/) [Political activism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-activism/) [Political Reactivism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-reactivism-1156811/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Reactivism Seductive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reactivism-seductive-1156809/) [Transformation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transformation/) ## Related quotes > [Political activism is seductive because it seems to offer the possibility that one can improve society, make things better, without going through the personal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/political-activism-is-seductive-because-it-seems-to-offer-the/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Activism is very seductive, and writing is painful and hard. It's very scary to have a death threat living over your head. Activism is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-kramer/activism-is-very-seductive-and-writing-is-painful-and-hard-it-s-very/) [Larry Kramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-kramer/) > [As Plato insisted two thousand years ago, it is not by means of the image that moral, ethical, or political knowledge is produced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-solomon-godeau/as-plato-insisted-two-thousand-years-ago-it-is-not-by-means-of-the/) [Abigail Solomon-Godeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-solomon-godeau/) > [The invention of ethical and political doctrines, which blossomed into our own social sciences, is a product of times when things appeared manageable. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-brodsky/the-invention-of-ethical-and-political-doctrines-which-blossomed-into/) [Joseph Brodsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-brodsky/) > [Symptoms of ethical, political and economic impoverishment are all around us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/symptoms-of-ethical-political-and-economic-impoverishment-are-all/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [My mind was by no means easy about the need to carry out a clandestine action in the sovereign territory of a friendly country,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isser-harel/my-mind-was-by-no-means-easy-about-the-need-to-carry-out-a/) [Isser Harel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isser-harel/) > [The influence of being in New York, made me realize a lot of the ethical and political ideas I want to push or promote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-critchley/the-influence-of-being-in-new-york-made-me-realize-a-lot-of-the/) [Simon Critchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-critchley/) > [The doctrine of foods is of great ethical and political significance. Food becomes blood, blood becomes heart and brain, thoughts and mind stuff. Human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-feuerbach/the-doctrine-of-foods-is-of-great-ethical-and-political-significance/) [Ludwig Feuerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-feuerbach/) > [“the ethical and political ideas of Locke, Rousseau and Jefferson. However, once the heretical scientific insights are translated into everyday technology, routine activities and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/the-ethical-and-political-ideas-of-locke-rousseau-and-jefferson/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [Transformation, liberation and celebration are the themes of all my novels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/transformation-liberation-and-celebration-are-the-themes-of-all-my/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [I'm not quite sure precisely when social and political activism became a visible brand of my DNA, but it seems to me that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/i-m-not-quite-sure-precisely-when-social-and-political-activism/) [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) > [London is one of the world's centres of Arab journalism and political activism. The failure of left and right, the establishment and its opposition,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cohen/london-is-one-of-the-world-s-centres-of-arab-journalism-and-political/) [Nick Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cohen/) > [If CASA?s board, which includes such scientific experts as actress Jamie Lee Curtis, wants to tell the world that drinking is bad for you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-vaughan/if-casa-s-board-which-includes-such-scientific-experts-as-actress/) [Bill Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-vaughan/) > [“Grace deeply identified with Mead’s view that ideas evolve historically. “Unlike the average American teacher of philosophy of his day,” she wrote, Mead “urged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-m-ward/grace-deeply-identified-with-mead-s-view-that-ideas-evolve/) [Stephen M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-m-ward/) > [“The times do not call for grassroots political activism, as if the next election might be enough to reverse a massive cultural earthquake. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-d-miller/the-times-do-not-call-for-grassroots-political-activism-as-if-the/) [Paul D. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-d-miller/) ## More by Tom Robbins > [There are times when we can feel destiny close around us like a fist around a doorknob. Sure, we can resist. But a knob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-times-when-we-can-feel-destiny-close-around-us-like-a-fist/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Love is the ultimate outlaw. It just won't adhere to any rules. The most any of us can do is to sign on as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/love-is-the-ultimate-outlaw-it-just-won-t-adhere-to-any-rules-the/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [The world is a wonderfully weird place, consensual reality is significantly flawed, no institution can be trusted, certainty is a mirage, security a delusion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-world-is-a-wonderfully-weird-place-consensual-reality-is/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Anyone who maintains absolute standards of good and evil is dangerous. As dangerous as a maniac with a loaded revolver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/anyone-who-maintains-absolute-standards-of-good-and-evil-is-dangerous/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“I believe in everything; nothing is sacred. I believe in nothing; everything is sacred. Ha Ha Ho Ho Hee Hee.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/i-believe-in-everything-nothing-is-sacred-i-believe-in-nothing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [A sense of humor...is superior to any religion so far devised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/a-sense-of-humor-is-superior-to-any-religion-so-far-devised/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“Love is the ultimate outlaw. It just won't adhere to any rules. The most any of us can do is to sign on as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/love-is-the-ultimate-outlaw-it-just-won-t-adhere-to-any-rules-the-2/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“The glue that holds the natural world together appears to be a harmonious balance of opposites: day and night, light and dark, winter and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-glue-that-holds-the-natural-world-together-appears-to-be-a/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Zippers are primal and modern at the very same time. On the one hand, your zipper is primitive and reptilian, on the other, mechanical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/zippers-are-primal-and-modern-at-the-very-same-time-on-the-one-hand/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“religion is a paramount contributor to human misery. It is not merely the opium of the masses, it is the cyanide.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/religion-is-a-paramount-contributor-to-human-misery-it-is-not-merely/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [She continued weeping until the heat of her tear water, the sheer velocity of its flow, finally obscured the already vague circumstances of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/she-continued-weeping-until-the-heat-of-her-tear-water-the-sheer/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [The bottom line is that (a) people are never perfect, but love can be, (b) that is the one and only way that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-bottom-line-is-that-a-people-are-never-perfect-but-love-can-be-b/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Virtually every advancement made by our species since civilization first peeked out of its nest of stone has been initiated by lone individuals, mavericks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/virtually-every-advancement-made-by-our-species-since-civilization/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [When we accept small wonders, we qualify ourselves to imagine great wonders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/when-we-accept-small-wonders-we-qualify-ourselves-to-imagine-great/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) [Explore all 994 Tom Robbins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) ## More Political activism quotes > [“The times do not call for grassroots political activism, as if the next election might be enough to reverse a massive cultural earthquake. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-d-miller/the-times-do-not-call-for-grassroots-political-activism-as-if-the/) [Paul D. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-d-miller/) > [“Grace deeply identified with Mead’s view that ideas evolve historically. “Unlike the average American teacher of philosophy of his day,” she wrote, Mead “urged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-m-ward/grace-deeply-identified-with-mead-s-view-that-ideas-evolve/) [Stephen M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-m-ward/) > [If CASA?s board, which includes such scientific experts as actress Jamie Lee Curtis, wants to tell the world that drinking is bad for you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-vaughan/if-casa-s-board-which-includes-such-scientific-experts-as-actress/) [Bill Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-vaughan/) > [London is one of the world's centres of Arab journalism and political activism. The failure of left and right, the establishment and its opposition,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cohen/london-is-one-of-the-world-s-centres-of-arab-journalism-and-political/) [Nick Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cohen/) > [I'm not quite sure precisely when social and political activism became a visible brand of my DNA, but it seems to me that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/i-m-not-quite-sure-precisely-when-social-and-political-activism/) [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) > [I think there's a little more attention to human needs than to property rights. But I don't think much of political activism. It's so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-think-there-s-a-little-more-attention-to-human-needs-than-to/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [When it comes to engaging and influencing culture, too many Christians think too highly of political activism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/when-it-comes-to-engaging-and-influencing-culture-too-many-christians/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [ The \[Booker\] prize was actually responsible in many ways for my political activism. I won this thing and I was suddenly the darling of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/the-booker-prize-was-actually-responsible-in-many-ways-for-my/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Political activism is not failing because people are too busy watching cat videos online, but because of a fundamental collapse of citizen leverage on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeynep-tufekci/political-activism-is-not-failing-because-people-are-too-busy/) [Zeynep Tufekci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeynep-tufekci/) > [“Why do you choose to write about such gruesome subjects? I usually answer this with another question: Why do you assume that I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/why-do-you-choose-to-write-about-such-gruesome-subjects-i-usually/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [What is music in America? It's this stand-in for political action in a lot of senses. We have no democracy and we have no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-svenonius/what-is-music-in-america-it-s-this-stand-in-for-political-action-in-a/) [Ian Svenonius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-svenonius/) > [Bitcoin is very ideologically fulfilling, it's my form of political activism, but it's also a huge business opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-voorhees/bitcoin-is-very-ideologically-fulfilling-it-s-my-form-of-political/) [Erik Voorhees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-voorhees/) > [I've embraced rock 'n' roll because it encompasses all the things I'm interested in: poetry, revolution, sexuality, political activism - all of these things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-ve-embraced-rock-n-roll-because-it-encompasses-all-the-things-i-m/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [To me, a political song is also a personal song. Most political activism has been driven by empathy for other people and the desire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/to-me-a-political-song-is-also-a-personal-song-most-political/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [Our aims in political activism are not, and should not be, to create a perfect utopia. What we seek is more simply to improve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wellstone/our-aims-in-political-activism-are-not-and-should-not-be-to-create-a/) [Paul Wellstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wellstone/) [Browse all 45 Political activism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-activism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“For the ethical, political activism was seductive because it seemed to offer the possibility that one could improve society, make things better, without going through the personal ordeal of rearranging one's perceptions and transforming one's self. For the unconscionable, political reactivism was seductive because it seemed to protect one's holdings and legitimize one's greed. But both sides were gazing through a kerchief of illusion.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom Robbins" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/for-the-ethical-political-activism-was-seductive-because-it-seemed-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Political activism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/for-the-ethical-political-activism-was-seductive-because-it-seemed-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a1/tom-robbins-169_political-activism_for-the-ethical-political-activism-was-s_93701.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a1/tom-robbins-169_political-activism_for-the-ethical-political-activism-was-s_93701.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a1/tom-robbins-169_political-activism_for-the-ethical-political-activism-was-s_93701.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“For the ethical, political activism was seductive because it seemed to offer the possibility that one could…” — Tom Robbins", "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": "Tom Robbins", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“For the ethical, political activism was...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/for-the-ethical-political-activism-was-seductive-because-it-seemed-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/for-the-ethical-political-activism-was-seductive-because-it-seemed-to/#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 } } ] } ```