--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our lifestyle is deeply communal, with…" description: "\"Our lifestyle is deeply communal, with extended families traditionally sharing the burdens and bounties of life together, eating meals from the same pl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c41/abiy-ahmed-30624_communal_our-lifestyle-is-deeply-communal-with-ex_3165732.jpg" --- # Our lifestyle is deeply communal, with extended families… ![“Our lifestyle is deeply communal, with extended families traditionally sharing the burdens and bounties of life together, eating meals from the same plate.” quote by Abiy Ahmed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c41/abiy-ahmed-30624_communal_our-lifestyle-is-deeply-communal-with-ex_3165732.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c41/abiy-ahmed-30624_communal_our-lifestyle-is-deeply-communal-with-ex_3165732.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c41/abiy-ahmed-30624_communal_our-lifestyle-is-deeply-communal-with-ex_3165732.jpg) > “Our lifestyle is deeply communal, with extended families traditionally sharing the burdens and bounties of life together, eating meals from the same plate.” [Abiy Ahmed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abiy-ahmed/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human beings thrive when they share resources, responsibilities, and joys within close-knit groups, reinforcing solidarity. **In simple terms:** Community sharing strengthens bonds. Key Takeaway Foster shared meals and mutual support. Themes community family solidarity shared resources Mood warm reflective Type cultural philosophical When to use this quote - family gatherings - co‑living arrangements - communal kitchens - cultural festivals Key Concepts collectivism social cohesion interdependence Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance communal support with personal freedom? - What practices nurture healthy interdependence? A Different Perspective May overlook individual autonomy or privacy needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-together/) [Lifestyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifestyle/) [Sharing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sharing/) ## Related quotes > [One thing I found out was that we need extended families. We need gangs. And, of course, if they're tribes and clans and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/one-thing-i-found-out-was-that-we-need-extended-families-we-need/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Because everyone grows up together in my small hometown, everyone knows everyone else. And there are such large extended families that a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/because-everyone-grows-up-together-in-my-small-hometown-everyone/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [Friends are the twenty-first-century version of extended families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-heimel/friends-are-the-twenty-first-century-version-of-extended-families/) [Cynthia Heimel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-heimel/) > [It's peaceful to think about the family as a group. I totally believe in extended families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/it-s-peaceful-to-think-about-the-family-as-a-group-i-totally-believe/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [My Open Hearts Family celebrates not only the traditional family but also extended families that we create from the people we open our hearts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-seymour/my-open-hearts-family-celebrates-not-only-the-traditional-family-but/) [Jane Seymour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-seymour/) > [Recent surveys of Church members have shown a serious erosion in the number of families who have a year's supply of life's necessities. Most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/recent-surveys-of-church-members-have-shown-a-serious-erosion-in-the/) [Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/) > [In our prehistoric past, we would have lived in extended families, surrounded by kin whose interests we might have wanted to promote because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/in-our-prehistoric-past-we-would-have-lived-in-extended-families/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Sixty percent of our immigrants are admitted merely because they have relatives here. Many of these people are not immediate relative, but are part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/sixty-percent-of-our-immigrants-are-admitted-merely-because-they-have/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I grew up in a world that was clannish - old Tasmanian-Irish families with big extended families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-flanagan/i-grew-up-in-a-world-that-was-clannish-old-tasmanian-irish-families/) [Richard Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-flanagan/) > [Extended families have never been the norm in America; the highest figure for extended-family households ever recorded in Americanhistory is 20 percent. Contrary to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-coontz/extended-families-have-never-been-the-norm-in-america-the-highest/) [Stephanie Coontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-coontz/) > [I don't know what happens in other people's extended families but in ours we don't talk about half-brothers or half-sisters. We are whole. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cedella-marley/i-don-t-know-what-happens-in-other-people-s-extended-families-but-in/) [Cedella Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cedella-marley/) > [But anyway, it's obvious through human experience that extended families and tribes are terribly important. We can do without an extended family as human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/but-anyway-it-s-obvious-through-human-experience-that-extended/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Part of the issue around communal land, which became a matter of controversy, is that we are saying that this land must go back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/part-of-the-issue-around-communal-land-which-became-a-matter-of/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [Rap, to me, is communal. It's something you do with your friends. So becoming a member of a group was the dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/rap-to-me-is-communal-it-s-something-you-do-with-your-friends-so/) [Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/) > [“Communal ownership means that all benefit for a short time; private ownership means that few people benefit over the course of an extended period…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-robert-morse/communal-ownership-means-that-all-benefit-for-a-short-time-private/) [Eric Robert Morse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-robert-morse/) ## More by Abiy Ahmed > [War is the epitome of hell for all involved. I know because I have been there and back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abiy-ahmed/war-is-the-epitome-of-hell-for-all-involved-i-know-because-i-have/) [Abiy Ahmed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abiy-ahmed/) > [Well, peace is a very expensive commodity in my country, as well as in my region.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abiy-ahmed/well-peace-is-a-very-expensive-commodity-in-my-country-as-well-as-in/) [Abiy Ahmed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abiy-ahmed/) > [And if you can change Addis, definitely you can change Ethiopia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abiy-ahmed/and-if-you-can-change-addis-definitely-you-can-change-ethiopia/) [Abiy Ahmed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abiy-ahmed/) > [Ethiopia has made steady progress in the provision of health services over the past two decades. But nothing has prepared us for threats posed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abiy-ahmed/ethiopia-has-made-steady-progress-in-the-provision-of-health-services/) [Abiy Ahmed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abiy-ahmed/) > [I have done so many great things compared to many leaders. But I didn't do 1 per cent of what I am dreaming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abiy-ahmed/i-have-done-so-many-great-things-compared-to-many-leaders-but-i-didn/) [Abiy Ahmed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abiy-ahmed/) > [Negative peace is possible as long as you have a strong army.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abiy-ahmed/negative-peace-is-possible-as-long-as-you-have-a-strong-army/) [Abiy Ahmed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abiy-ahmed/) > [Covid-19 teaches us that we are all global citizens connected by a single virus that recognises none of our natural or man-made diversity: not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abiy-ahmed/covid-19-teaches-us-that-we-are-all-global-citizens-connected-by-a/) [Abiy Ahmed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abiy-ahmed/) > [I was a young soldier when war broke out between Ethiopia and Eritrea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abiy-ahmed/i-was-a-young-soldier-when-war-broke-out-between-ethiopia-and-eritrea/) [Abiy Ahmed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abiy-ahmed/) > [Working hard on peace process is a very good thing for yourself, for your region, for your country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abiy-ahmed/working-hard-on-peace-process-is-a-very-good-thing-for-yourself-for/) [Abiy Ahmed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abiy-ahmed/) > [I believed peace between Ethiopia and Eritrea was within reach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abiy-ahmed/i-believed-peace-between-ethiopia-and-eritrea-was-within-reach/) [Abiy Ahmed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abiy-ahmed/) > [Health is a worldwide public good. It requires global action guided by a sense of global solidarity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abiy-ahmed/health-is-a-worldwide-public-good-it-requires-global-action-guided-by/) [Abiy Ahmed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abiy-ahmed/) > [Well the message I have for everyone working on peace, is that bringing results on peace can be easily entrained passively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abiy-ahmed/well-the-message-i-have-for-everyone-working-on-peace-is-that/) [Abiy Ahmed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abiy-ahmed/) > [If you give me $100bn now, I can't use it. There is not only money, there is talent and experience. That's why we need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abiy-ahmed/if-you-give-me-100bn-now-i-can-t-use-it-there-is-not-only-money-there/) [Abiy Ahmed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abiy-ahmed/) > [It takes a few to make war, but it takes a village and a nation to build peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abiy-ahmed/it-takes-a-few-to-make-war-but-it-takes-a-village-and-a-nation-to/) [Abiy Ahmed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abiy-ahmed/) > [Many Ethiopians see yesterday. I see tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abiy-ahmed/many-ethiopians-see-yesterday-i-see-tomorrow/) [Abiy Ahmed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abiy-ahmed/) [Explore all 17 Abiy Ahmed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abiy-ahmed/) ## More Communal quotes > [“Communal ownership means that all benefit for a short time; private ownership means that few people benefit over the course of an extended period…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-robert-morse/communal-ownership-means-that-all-benefit-for-a-short-time-private/) [Eric Robert Morse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-robert-morse/) > [Rap, to me, is communal. It's something you do with your friends. So becoming a member of a group was the dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/rap-to-me-is-communal-it-s-something-you-do-with-your-friends-so/) [Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/) > [Part of the issue around communal land, which became a matter of controversy, is that we are saying that this land must go back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/part-of-the-issue-around-communal-land-which-became-a-matter-of/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [“There are countries in which the communal provision of housing, transport, education and health care is so inferior that inhabitants will naturally seek to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/there-are-countries-in-which-the-communal-provision-of-housing/) [Alain De Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [The concept of guilt is found most powerfully developed even in the most primitive communal forms which we know... the man is guilty who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-buber/the-concept-of-guilt-is-found-most-powerfully-developed-even-in-the/) [Martin Buber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-buber/) > [“It is also interesting to observe that communal ownership violates every instinct of human nature. It destroys initiative, nullifies free agency, suppresses inventive exploration,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-cleon-skousen/it-is-also-interesting-to-observe-that-communal-ownership-violates/) [W. Cleon Skousen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-cleon-skousen/) > [When 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' premiered on the WB Network in 1996, American culture was in trouble. Americans were bowling alone, pursuing individual interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-postrel/when-buffy-the-vampire-slayer-premiered-on-the-wb-network-in-1996/) [Virginia Postrel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-postrel/) > [I turned atheist in the '90s when India went through troubled times - communal riots, bomb blasts... Mumbai, where I live, was badly affected.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amish-tripathi/i-turned-atheist-in-the-90s-when-india-went-through-troubled-times/) [Amish Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amish-tripathi/) > [“Flight from the communal spirit is death!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/novalis/flight-from-the-communal-spirit-is-death/) [Novalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/novalis/) > [“When you live strictly by communal terms and conditions, your sense of self worth is intimately tied to its systems and processes, always tied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dew-platt/when-you-live-strictly-by-communal-terms-and-conditions-your-sense-of/) [Dew Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dew-platt/) > [There has to be a continuation of the communal experience of filmgoing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-granik/there-has-to-be-a-continuation-of-the-communal-experience-of-filmgoing/) [Debra Granik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-granik/) > [I feel like artists, as much as we'd like to think we're communal, are pretty much loners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sean-greer/i-feel-like-artists-as-much-as-we-d-like-to-think-we-re-communal-are/) [Andrew Sean Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sean-greer/) > [We are communal beings who love to get together in groups and share emotions - like sporting events, rock concerts and political rallies. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-morgan/we-are-communal-beings-who-love-to-get-together-in-groups-and-share/) [Nick Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-morgan/) > [Karachi captures all of those rifts between ancient and modern, communal and individual. You see them playing out in people's lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-inskeep/karachi-captures-all-of-those-rifts-between-ancient-and-modern/) [Steve Inskeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-inskeep/) > [We do not aspire to communal life but to a life apart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-stirner/we-do-not-aspire-to-communal-life-but-to-a-life-apart/) [Max Stirner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-stirner/) Browse all 86 Communal quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Our lifestyle is deeply communal, with extended families traditionally sharing the burdens and bounties of life together, eating meals from the same plate.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Abiy Ahmed" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abiy-ahmed/our-lifestyle-is-deeply-communal-with-extended-families-traditionally/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Communal" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abiy-ahmed/our-lifestyle-is-deeply-communal-with-extended-families-traditionally/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c41/abiy-ahmed-30624_communal_our-lifestyle-is-deeply-communal-with-ex_3165732.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c41/abiy-ahmed-30624_communal_our-lifestyle-is-deeply-communal-with-ex_3165732.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c41/abiy-ahmed-30624_communal_our-lifestyle-is-deeply-communal-with-ex_3165732.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Our lifestyle is deeply communal, with extended families traditionally sharing the burdens and bounties of…” — Abiy Ahmed", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Abiy Ahmed", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abiy-ahmed/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Our lifestyle is deeply communal, with...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abiy-ahmed/our-lifestyle-is-deeply-communal-with-extended-families-traditionally/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abiy-ahmed/our-lifestyle-is-deeply-communal-with-extended-families-traditionally/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```