Quote of the Day by Meryl Streep: Meryl Streep is widely known and accepted as one of the greatest talents of the film world. From time to time, she has often inspired many across the globe with her thoughts on gender equality, artistic freedom, peace and more valid subjects.
Quote of the day During the historic moment, Meryl Streep said, "Disrespect invites disrespect, violence incites violence. And when the powerful use their position to bully others, we all lose.”
When and why Meryl Streep said it The powerful line is from her speech at the Golden Globe Awards 2017. Without naming anyone directly, Streep made those comments while referring to a speech made by Trump in 2015, in which he was reported to have mocked a journalist of The New York Times.
She said at the event, “There was one performance this year that stunned me — it sank its hooks in my heart. Not because it was good; there was nothing good about it. But it was effective, and it did its job. It made its intended audience laugh, and show their teeth. It was that moment when the person asking to sit in the most respected seat in our country imitated a disabled reporter.”
"It kind of broke my heart when I saw it, and I still can't get it out of my head, because it wasn't in a movie. It was real life.
“This instinct to humiliate, when it's modeled by someone in the public platform, by someone powerful, it filters down into everybody's life, because it kind of gives permission for other people to do the same thing,” said the star.
“Disrespect invites disrespect, violence incites violence. And when the powerful use their position to bully others, we all lose.”
Her words struck a chord among many, gaining reactions from the internet. It was widely praised for her courage and became one of the most talked-about moments of the main ceremony.
What does it mean Streep’s statement suggests that actions, especially harmful ones, do not exist in isolation; they tend to provoke a similar response from others.
In Streep's statement, she meant that when an individual acts with disrespect or aggression, it often encourages others not to respond in kind, creating an endless cycle that escalates conflict rather than resolving it.
In the second part of the quote, she seemingly stressed the importance of the responsibility that comes with power. When influential people misuse their authority to intimidate or demean others, it normalises such behaviour, setting a damaging example. This affects those involved as well as hits the values of fairness, respect, and empathy in society. Her message is a call for accountability, urging those in positions to lead with integrity and kindness in today's world to foster peace and harmony.
In this context, “the powerful” refers to individuals or institutions with influence. This can be anyone, ranging from political leaders to celebrities or those in positions of authority.
On the other hand, “Violence” is not limited to physical harm in the statement. It may also include verbal abuse, threats, or any form of coercion that may harm or cause fear.