--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The black hole in democracy is integrity…" description: "\"The black hole in democracy is integrity. The great unspoken is integrity. When integrity is not first and foremost, it's quite palpable but not visibl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a87/wynton-marsalis-1721_black_the-black-hole-in-democracy-is-integrity_2923600.png" --- # The black hole in democracy is integrity. The great… ![“The black hole in democracy is integrity. The great unspoken is integrity. When integrity is not first and foremost, it's quite palpable but not visible. It's always there. Jazz highlights it because musicians and jazz always represented a high level of integrity.” quote by Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a87/wynton-marsalis-1721_black_the-black-hole-in-democracy-is-integrity_2923600.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a87/wynton-marsalis-1721_black_the-black-hole-in-democracy-is-integrity_2923600.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a87/wynton-marsalis-1721_black_the-black-hole-in-democracy-is-integrity_2923600.png) > “The black hole in democracy is integrity. The great unspoken is integrity. When integrity is not first and foremost, it's quite palpable but not visible. It's always there. Jazz highlights it because musicians and jazz always represented a high level of integrity.” [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Uses jazz as a metaphor for integrity being essential yet often unseen in democracy. **In simple terms:** Integrity is the unseen core. Key Takeaway Uphold integrity always. Themes integrity democracy artistic metaphor Mood inspirational thoughtful Type political artistic When to use this quote - politics - music education Key Concepts ethical leadership civic responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can societies ensure integrity? - What role does art play in highlighting values? A Different Perspective Integrity can be hard to measure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black hole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-hole/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity/) [Jazz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jazz/) [Musician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musician/) ## Related quotes > [With the Voting Rights Act of Virginia, our Commonwealth is creating a model for how states can provide comprehensive voter protections that strengthen democracy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-northam/with-the-voting-rights-act-of-virginia-our-commonwealth-is-creating-a/) [Ralph Northam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-northam/) > [A mode of conduct, a standard of courage, discipline, fortitude and integrity can do a great deal to make a woman beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-bisset/a-mode-of-conduct-a-standard-of-courage-discipline-fortitude-and/) [Jacqueline Bisset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-bisset/) > [Ossie Davis was a man with great integrity, great honor and someone who I feel has done us all a great service just by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cobbs/ossie-davis-was-a-man-with-great-integrity-great-honor-and-someone/) Bill Cobbs > [Tom Brady is a person of great integrity and is a great ambassador of the game both on and off the field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kraft/tom-brady-is-a-person-of-great-integrity-and-is-a-great-ambassador-of/) [Robert Kraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kraft/) > [“The great thing about integrity is that it is truly no respecter of position or wealth or race or gender. It is not determined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dungy/the-great-thing-about-integrity-is-that-it-is-truly-no-respecter-of/) [Tony Dungy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dungy/) > [Being true means having integrity; and integrity is doing the right thing even when you know nobody is watching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-true-means-having-integrity-and-integrity-is-doing-the-right/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Integrity is integrity. I don't push it to the side because I'm talking to Julia Roberts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-menounos/integrity-is-integrity-i-don-t-push-it-to-the-side-because-i-m/) [Maria Menounos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-menounos/) > [“Without integrity, all is lost. We cannot do the good that all of these amazing people signed up to do. The FBI’s reputation for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/historica-press/without-integrity-all-is-lost-we-cannot-do-the-good-that-all-of-these/) [Historica Press](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/historica-press/) > [No one will question your integrity if your integrity is not questionable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-bronner-jr/no-one-will-question-your-integrity-if-your-integrity-is-not/) Nathaniel Bronner Jr > [I'm me. I can't put on airs. I'm not a phony. 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I don't go seeking out strange sexual experiences every day of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarvis-cocker/the-things-in-my-songs-are-the-edited-highlights-of-my-life-i-don-t/) [Jarvis Cocker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarvis-cocker/) > [Being blonde, for me, means never having to say: 'I'll have the honey-striped half-head of highlights for £200,' to a bored colourist in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-johnson/being-blonde-for-me-means-never-having-to-say-i-ll-have-the-honey/) [Rachel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-johnson/) ## More by Wynton Marsalis > [I never minded giving my opinions. They are just opinions, and I had studied music and I had strong feelings. I was happy for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/i-never-minded-giving-my-opinions-they-are-just-opinions-and-i-had/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [I always read all these books about the slaves. My mother is very educated. My father would talk to us like we were grown…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/i-always-read-all-these-books-about-the-slaves-my-mother-is-very/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [“The best musicians know this music isn't about "schools" at all. Like my father says, "There's only one school, the school of 'Can you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/the-best-musicians-know-this-music-isn-t-about-schools-at-all-like-my/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [Louis Armstrong is jazz. He represents what the music is all about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/louis-armstrong-is-jazz-he-represents-what-the-music-is-all-about/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [And that's the soulful thing about playing: you offer something to somebody. You don't know if they'll like it, but you offer it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/and-that-s-the-soulful-thing-about-playing-you-offer-something-to/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [Ethics are more important than laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/ethics-are-more-important-than-laws/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [I'm not a person who writes really abstract things with oblique references. I look at abstraction like I look at condiments. Give me some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/i-m-not-a-person-who-writes-really-abstract-things-with-oblique/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [Many a revolution started with the actions of a few. Only 56 men signed the Declaration of Independence. 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