--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There was a time when we were told…" description: "\"There was a time when we were told . . . that a sense of common interest would preside over the conduct of the respective members...This language at th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddd/alexander-hamilton-619_common_there-was-a-time-when-we-were-told-that_1434058.jpg" --- # There was a time when we were told . . . that a sense of… ![“There was a time when we were told . . . that a sense of common interest would preside over the conduct of the respective members...This language at the present day would appear as wild as that great part of what we now hear from the same quarter will be thought, when we shall have received…” quote by Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddd/alexander-hamilton-619_common_there-was-a-time-when-we-were-told-that_1434058.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddd/alexander-hamilton-619_common_there-was-a-time-when-we-were-told-that_1434058.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddd/alexander-hamilton-619_common_there-was-a-time-when-we-were-told-that_1434058.jpg) > “There was a time when we were told . . . that a sense of common interest would preside over the conduct of the respective members...This language at the present day would appear as wild as that great part of what we now hear from the same quarter will be thought, when we shall have received further lessons from that best oracle of wisdom, experience.” [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Notes that idealistic notions of common interest often clash with practical experience and wisdom over time. **In simple terms:** Idealism meets reality in governance. Key Takeaway Balance ideals with experience. Themes politics idealism experience wisdom Mood cautious reflective Type political philosophical When to use this quote - legislative drafting - public policy - civic education Key Concepts social contract pragmatism historical perspective Questions to Reflect On - How can policymakers incorporate lived experience? - When does idealism hinder progress? A Different Perspective Idealistic language can be overly simplistic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common/) [Common Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-interest/) [Common interests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-interests/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Lessons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lessons/) [Members](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/members/) [Members Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/members-language-5113535/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Oracles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oracles/) [Present day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/present-day/) [Public opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-opinion/) [Quarter Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quarter-thought-5113536/) [Quarters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quarters/) [Sense Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense-common/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Told Sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/told-sense-5113534/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wisdom experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom-experience/) ## Related quotes > [Your love is all that I was waiting for and now that I feel it ...oh man...what I thought was not even quarter of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lawyer/your-love-is-all-that-i-was-waiting-for-and-now-that-i-feel-it-oh-man/) [Gary Lawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lawyer/) > [Trying to create a sense of common interest does involve getting people actually to work together on common problems. 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