--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For every boy here,\" he says, \"I like to…" description: "\"“For every boy here,\" he says, \"I like to imagine that we're helping him go in a particular direction, a direction he is best suited for. For you, I've..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02f/adam-hochschild-4138_revelation_for-every-boy-here-he-says-i-like-to-ima_2960736.jpg" --- # For every boy here," he says, "I like to imagine that… ![“For every boy here," he says, "I like to imagine that we're helping him go in a particular direction, a direction he is best suited for. For you, I've thought it might be the State Department, or something in that realm." Suddenly, in a thunderclap of revelation, I know that whatever I do with my…” quote by Adam Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02f/adam-hochschild-4138_revelation_for-every-boy-here-he-says-i-like-to-ima_2960736.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02f/adam-hochschild-4138_revelation_for-every-boy-here-he-says-i-like-to-ima_2960736.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02f/adam-hochschild-4138_revelation_for-every-boy-here-he-says-i-like-to-ima_2960736.jpg) > ““For every boy here," he says, "I like to imagine that we're helping him go in a particular direction, a direction he is best suited for. For you, I've thought it might be the State Department, or something in that realm." Suddenly, in a thunderclap of revelation, I know that whatever I do with my life, it will not be "in that realm." So: despite everything teachers and parents say about how I'm free to choose, they have a plan for me after all. I cannot yet see that plan clearly, but I suddenly become wary.”” [Adam Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hochschild/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A realization that external expectations shape perceived destiny, causing anxiety about personal freedom. **In simple terms:** People often feel trapped by others' plans for them. Key Takeaway Recognize and question imposed expectations. Themes identity expectation freedom anxiety Mood reflective anxious Type personal philosophical When to use this quote - college decisions - career planning - family expectations - personal growth Key Concepts self-determination social pressure career paths Questions to Reflect On - What expectations are truly yours? - How can you balance guidance and autonomy? A Different Perspective Plans may change; flexibility is needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Revelation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revelation/) ## Related quotes > [“He draws a line under his conclusions. Says, 'Gregory, what should I do about the great worm?' 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Stuff grown-ups want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/macaulay-culkin/oh-wow-you-know-what-s-wrong-with-all-these-families-on-tv-all-these/) [Macaulay Culkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/macaulay-culkin/) ## More by Adam Hochschild > [“No one can know, of course, accurate population figures from an era before there was a census, but many officials on the ground at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hochschild/no-one-can-know-of-course-accurate-population-figures-from-an-era/) [Adam Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hochschild/) > [“those who made the greatest fortunes from the Scramble for Africa, like Leopold, were often men who had fortunes to begin with.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hochschild/those-who-made-the-greatest-fortunes-from-the-scramble-for-africa/) [Adam Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hochschild/) > [“The lust for slave profits engulfed even some of the priests, who abandoned their preaching, took black women as concubines, kept slaves themselves, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hochschild/the-lust-for-slave-profits-engulfed-even-some-of-the-priests-who/) [Adam Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hochschild/) > [All of us living in today's world are facing an enormous crisis - arguably the greatest that humanity has ever faced - in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hochschild/all-of-us-living-in-today-s-world-are-facing-an-enormous-crisis/) [Adam Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hochschild/) > [“Nelson W. 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He”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hochschild/there-was-nothing-inherently-wrong-with-colonialism-he-felt-if-its/) [Adam Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hochschild/) > [“The others had been driven into the desert to die of thirst (the Germans poisoned the waterholes), were shot, or—to economize on bullets—bayoneted or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hochschild/the-others-had-been-driven-into-the-desert-to-die-of-thirst-the/) [Adam Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hochschild/) > [“We run the risk of someday seeing our native population collapse and disappear,” fretfully declared the permanent committee of the National Colonial Congress of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hochschild/we-run-the-risk-of-someday-seeing-our-native-population-collapse-and/) [Adam Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hochschild/) > [“Those who are conquered," wrote the philosopher Ibn Khaldun in the fourteenth century, "always want to imitate the conqueror in his main characteristics—in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hochschild/those-who-are-conquered-wrote-the-philosopher-ibn-khaldun-in-the/) [Adam Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hochschild/) > [“each of the two great archrivals, Booker T. Washington and WE.B. Du Bois, invited”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hochschild/each-of-the-two-great-archrivals-booker-t-washington-and-we-b-du-bois/) [Adam Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hochschild/) > [Work is hard. Distractions are plentiful. And time is short.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hochschild/work-is-hard-distractions-are-plentiful-and-time-is-short/) [Adam Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hochschild/) [Explore all 114 Adam Hochschild quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hochschild/) ## More Revelation quotes > [Therefore, brethren, pray until God gives us revelation so that "knowing this" in our spirit we may truly confess "that our old man has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/watchman-nee/therefore-brethren-pray-until-god-gives-us-revelation-so-that-knowing/) [Watchman Nee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/watchman-nee/) > [Mine would be, "We will stand together, he and I. One in victory, one in shame. Only then can I truly own the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/mine-would-be-we-will-stand-together-he-and-i-one-in-victory-one-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Don’t waste your time trying to explain yourself to people that are committed to misunderstanding you. Instead, commit your time to explaining who they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/don-t-waste-your-time-trying-to-explain-yourself-to-people-that-are/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“No revelation can be other than partial. 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Revelation 19:7”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/let-us-be-glad-rejoice-and-give-him-glory-because-the-marriage-of-the/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [“I have scarcely heard of a truer sacrament, that is, as the dictionary defines it, "outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-have-scarcely-heard-of-a-truer-sacrament-that-is-as-the-dictionary/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > ['Tryin' to Get the Feeling' has been a revelation. I'd forgotten how powerful that was. 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