--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People know elections, like television…" description: "\"People know elections, like television commercials, are not real.\" — William Greider" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df3/william-greider-14089_democracy_people-know-elections-like-television-co_1894211.png" --- # People know elections, like television commercials, are… ![“People know elections, like television commercials, are not real.” quote by William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df3/william-greider-14089_democracy_people-know-elections-like-television-co_1894211.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df3/william-greider-14089_democracy_people-know-elections-like-television-co_1894211.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df3/william-greider-14089_democracy_people-know-elections-like-television-co_1894211.png) > “People know elections, like television commercials, are not real.” [William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Elections are treated like ads, creating a false sense of authenticity. **In simple terms:** Elections feel like commercials. Key Takeaway Seek deeper information beyond slogans. Themes media literacy political cynicism democracy Mood skeptical inquisitive Type analytical critical When to use this quote - voter education - media analysis - campaign strategy Key Concepts propaganda consumer culture political communication Questions to Reflect On - What sources reveal the real issues? - How does advertising shape political views? A Different Perspective Oversimplification can mislead voters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election/) [Elections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elections/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Television commercials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television-commercials/) ## Related quotes > [I have always thought, genuinely thought, that elections are like world cups. They sometimes look easier from the outside and they are very difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-key/i-have-always-thought-genuinely-thought-that-elections-are-like-world/) [John Key](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-key/) > [This is where the question always come up, "Aren't you going to split the vote?" To which the obvious answer is: Well let's just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/this-is-where-the-question-always-come-up-aren-t-you-going-to-split/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [Legislators know much more about elections than the Court does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/legislators-know-much-more-about-elections-than-the-court-does/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [I know that elections must be limited only to those who understand that the Arabs are the deadly enemy of the Jewish state, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meir-kahane/i-know-that-elections-must-be-limited-only-to-those-who-understand/) [Meir Kahane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meir-kahane/) > [Voters want to know that elections will be conducted fairly and accurately.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nelson/voters-want-to-know-that-elections-will-be-conducted-fairly-and/) [Bill Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nelson/) > [Give the public the 'image' of what it thinks it ought to be, or what television commercials or glossy magazine ads have convinced us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/give-the-public-the-image-of-what-it-thinks-it-ought-to-be-or-what/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [Many Americans feel themselves inferior in the presence of anyone with an English accent, which is why an English accent has become fashionable in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-newman/many-americans-feel-themselves-inferior-in-the-presence-of-anyone/) [Edwin Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-newman/) > [Richard Nixon was just offered $2 million by Schick to do a television commercial - for Gillette.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-r-ford-2/richard-nixon-was-just-offered-2-million-by-schick-to-do-a-television/) Gerald R Ford > [“he had had an offer for me to do television commercials for an organization that sold margarine. “I know this isn’t the kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/he-had-had-an-offer-for-me-to-do-television-commercials-for-an/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [There was a time when I never would have considered, ever, doing television commercials for records. I would never do that. That was something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-murray/there-was-a-time-when-i-never-would-have-considered-ever-doing/) [Anne Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-murray/) > [You can't just repurpose old material created for one platform, throw it up on another one, and then be surprised when everyone yawns in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-vaynerchuk/you-can-t-just-repurpose-old-material-created-for-one-platform-throw/) [Gary Vaynerchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-vaynerchuk/) > [The thing is, that great actors are everywhere. They're everywhere. They're doing good parts on television. They're doing television commercials. They're doing local theater.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/the-thing-is-that-great-actors-are-everywhere-they-re-everywhere-they/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [“This is the lesson of all great television commercials: They provide a slogan, a symbol or a focus that creates for viewers a comprehensive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-postman/this-is-the-lesson-of-all-great-television-commercials-they-provide-a/) [Neil Postman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-postman/) > [I've really only had one (dream) since I got into this business at 13 years old, which was to be in this business forever.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/i-ve-really-only-had-one-dream-since-i-got-into-this-business-at-13/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [I used to do plays and some television commercials when I was younger. I guess my mom's being an actress got me interested in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-kravitz/i-used-to-do-plays-and-some-television-commercials-when-i-was-younger/) [Lenny Kravitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-kravitz/) ## More by William Greider > [If you think about it, Washington's overwhelming power in the world is founded on death, the awesome arsenal for killing people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/if-you-think-about-it-washington-s-overwhelming-power-in-the-world-is/) [William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/) > [The threat to globalization is not the wasted American dollars but Washington's readiness to mix US commercial interests with its self-appointed role as global…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/the-threat-to-globalization-is-not-the-wasted-american-dollars-but/) [William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/) > [If US per capita income continues to grow at a rate of 1.5 percent a year, the country will have plenty of money to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/if-us-per-capita-income-continues-to-grow-at-a-rate-of-1-5-percent-a/) [William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/) > [The burnt odor in Washington is from the disintegrating authority of the governing classes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/the-burnt-odor-in-washington-is-from-the-disintegrating-authority-of/) [William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/) > [If one benefits tangibly from the exploitation of others who are weak, is one morally implicated in their predicament? 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They keep searching for political meanings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/the-point-is-the-political-reporters-are-the-ones-who-no-longer/) [William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/) > [The trauma of 9/11 stimulated infinite possibilities for worry - some quite plausible, but most inspired by remote what-if fantasies. 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If danger might lurk anywhere, maybe everything must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/the-quest-for-homeland-security-is-heading-toward-the-quasi/) [William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/) > [Americans cannot teach democracy to the world until they restore their own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/americans-cannot-teach-democracy-to-the-world-until-they-restore/) [William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/) [Explore all 48 William Greider quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/) ## More Democracy quotes > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [If the members of parliament no longer consider themselves mandatories of the taxpayers but deputies of those receiving salaries, wages, subsidies, doles, and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/if-the-members-of-parliament-no-longer-consider-themselves/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [For not only every democracy, but certainly every republic, bears within itself the seeds of its own destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-not-only-every-democracy-but-certainly-every-republic-bears/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [There is plenty of time for Republicans to have a Macaca moment. But right now, as of October 17, 2014, the Republican Senate candidates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-continetti/there-is-plenty-of-time-for-republicans-to-have-a-macaca-moment-but/) [Matthew Continetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-continetti/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. This \[presidential\] election is about every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-see-something-and-you-ll-be-so/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Failure to find a way to incorporate political Islam in democracy, however uncomfortable its ideology is for secular liberals, will mean we have given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crispin-blunt/failure-to-find-a-way-to-incorporate-political-islam-in-democracy/) [Crispin Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crispin-blunt/) > [In a democratic nation, power must be linked with responsibility, and obliged to defend and justify itself within the framework of the general good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/in-a-democratic-nation-power-must-be-linked-with-responsibility-and/) [Franklin D. 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