"I've never believed that the only way to make a dent is to be a table thumper"
About this Quote
As an entertainer and talk-radio presence, Brudnoy understood the medium’s temptation to turn every disagreement into theater. The sentence carries the rhythm of someone who’s watched audiences confuse decibels for credibility and hosts confuse intimidation for leadership. His “I’ve never believed” is doing quiet work: it frames his stance as a long-held ethic, not a tactical preference, and it signals a kind of self-defense against a format that punishes nuance.
The subtext is partly personal brand, partly moral argument. He’s staking out authority without swagger, insisting that calm insistence can be consequential. That’s not meekness; it’s strategy. Table-thumping grabs attention, but it also narrows the room, demanding submission rather than inviting reconsideration. Brudnoy is arguing for a different kind of dent: one made by patience, humor, and sustained clarity, the slow pressure that changes minds without turning every conversation into a shouting match.
The line lands because it names an archetype we all recognize and refuses to imitate it, a small act of resistance dressed up as understatement.
Quote Details
| Topic | Leadership |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Brudnoy, David. (2026, January 17). I've never believed that the only way to make a dent is to be a table thumper. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/ive-never-believed-that-the-only-way-to-make-a-65697/
Chicago Style
Brudnoy, David. "I've never believed that the only way to make a dent is to be a table thumper." FixQuotes. January 17, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/ive-never-believed-that-the-only-way-to-make-a-65697/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"I've never believed that the only way to make a dent is to be a table thumper." FixQuotes, 17 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/ive-never-believed-that-the-only-way-to-make-a-65697/. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.






