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Brothers and sisters Quote by Alexander McCall Smith

“Mma Ramotswe had been thinking a great deal recently about how people might be fitted in. The world was a large place, and one might have thought that there was enough room for everybody. But it seemed that this was not so. There were many people who were unhappy, and wanted to move. Often they…” quote by Alexander McCall Smith
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““Mma Ramotswe had been thinking a great deal recently about how people might be fitted in. The world was a large place, and one might have thought that there was enough room for everybody. But it seemed that this was not so. There were many people who were unhappy, and wanted to move. Often they wished to come to the more fortunate countries - such as Botswana - in order to make more of their lives. That was understandable, and yet there were those who did not want them. This is our place, they said; you are not welcome. It was easy to think like that. People wanted to protect themselves from those they did not know. Others were different; they talked different languages and wore different clothes. Many people did not want them to living close to them, just because of these differences. And yet, they were people, were they not? They thought the same way, and had the same hopes as anybody else did. They were our brothers and sisters, whichever way you looked at it, and you could not turn a brother or sister away.””

Alexander McCall Smith

About This Quote

Source Novel: The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, 1998

People fear outsiders due to differences, yet shared humanity should override exclusion.

In simple terms: Fear of strangers leads to exclusion.

Key Takeaway

Embrace empathy over fear.

Themes

migration inclusion humanity

Mood

hopeful reflective

Type

social ethical

When to use this quote

  • immigration policy
  • community building
  • school integration
  • workplace diversity

Key Concepts

otherness social cohesion

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can societies foster genuine inclusion?
  • What personal actions counter xenophobia?
A Different Perspective

Prejudice can be entrenched despite rational arguments.

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