It is easy to sit up and take notice. What is difficult is getting up and taking action.

The sentence hinges on a pun: “sit up and take notice” describes a moment of attention, while “getting up and taking action” demands commitment and risk. Batt distinguishes passive engagement—being informed, outraged, or impressed—from the harder work of changing behavior or circumstances. The quote critiques performative concern and celebrates agency: noticing a problem is only the first step, and moral credit comes from doing. Its humor (the physical shift from sitting to standing) sharpens the message, making it memorable while underscoring that real change requires movement, not merely observation.