--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Among these widely differing families of…" description: "\"Among these widely differing families of men, the first that attracts attention, the superior in intelligence, in power, and in enjoyment, is the white..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb3/alexis-de-tocqueville-625_attention_among-these-widely-differing-families-of_150837.png" --- # Among these widely differing families of men, the first… ![“Among these widely differing families of men, the first that attracts attention, the superior in intelligence, in power, and in enjoyment, is the white, or European, the MAN pre-eminently so called, below him appear the Negro and the Indian.” quote by Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb3/alexis-de-tocqueville-625_attention_among-these-widely-differing-families-of_150837.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb3/alexis-de-tocqueville-625_attention_among-these-widely-differing-families-of_150837.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb3/alexis-de-tocqueville-625_attention_among-these-widely-differing-families-of_150837.png) > “Among these widely differing families of men, the first that attracts attention, the superior in intelligence, in power, and in enjoyment, is the white, or European, the MAN pre-eminently so called, below him appear the Negro and the Indian.” [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. European men dominate perceived superiority, relegating others to lower status based on race. **In simple terms:** Europeans seen as superior, others marginalized. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge racial hierarchies. Themes race power colonialism Mood analytical critical Type historical sociopolitical When to use this quote - education - policy making - media representation Key Concepts social hierarchy ethnocentrism Questions to Reflect On - How do modern societies perpetuate these hierarchies? - What actions can dismantle racial superiority myths? A Different Perspective Historical context shows evolving attitudes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Enjoyment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enjoyment/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Indian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indian/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [The first who attracts the eye, the first in enlightenment, in power and in happiness, is the white man, the European, man par excellence;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/the-first-who-attracts-the-eye-the-first-in-enlightenment-in-power/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Scientists still know less about what attracts men than they do about what attracts mosquitoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-brothers/scientists-still-know-less-about-what-attracts-men-than-they-do-about/) [Joyce Brothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-brothers/) > [Some are born to invent, others to embellish; but the gilder attracts more attention than the architect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/some-are-born-to-invent-others-to-embellish-but-the-gilder-attracts/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [Never run from anything immortal. It attracts their attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/never-run-from-anything-immortal-it-attracts-their-attention/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [The man who attracts attention is the man who is thinking all the time, and expressing himself in little ways. It is not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-schwab/the-man-who-attracts-attention-is-the-man-who-is-thinking-all-the/) [Charles M. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-schwab/) > [Nothing attracts attention like a red dress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-bush/nothing-attracts-attention-like-a-red-dress/) [Laura Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-bush/) > [Anybody who makes an outlandish salary obviously attracts attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-buss/anybody-who-makes-an-outlandish-salary-obviously-attracts-attention/) [Jerry Buss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-buss/) > [“What attracts my attention shall have it, as I will go to the man who knocks at my door, whilst a thousand persons as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/what-attracts-my-attention-shall-have-it-as-i-will-go-to-the-man-who/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Bolatelli is an exciting player, but his stupid attitude sometimes attracts attention from the crowd - nothing more, nothing less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-seedorf/bolatelli-is-an-exciting-player-but-his-stupid-attitude-sometimes/) [Clarence Seedorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-seedorf/) > [“Never run from anything immortal. It only attracts their attention.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/19/never-run-from-anything-immortal-it-only-attracts-their-attention/) 19 > [“Don't look back and don't run. You must never run from anything immortal. It attracts their attention.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/don-t-look-back-and-don-t-run-you-must-never-run-from-anything/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [Nothing is quite so wretchedly corrupt as an aristocracy which has lost its power but kept its wealth and which still has endless leisure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/nothing-is-quite-so-wretchedly-corrupt-as-an-aristocracy-which-has/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [I filmed my first vlog and I think it worked because I wasn't trying to make it work. I was just doing it for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dobrik/i-filmed-my-first-vlog-and-i-think-it-worked-because-i-wasn-t-trying/) [David Dobrik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dobrik/) > [Enjoying life isn't about finding the answers, but living the questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-margolis/enjoying-life-isn-t-about-finding-the-answers-but-living-the-questions/) [Sue Margolis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-margolis/) > [Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/wine-is-one-of-the-most-civilized-things-in-the-world-and-one-of-the/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) ## More by Alexis de Tocqueville > [All around you everything is on the move,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/all-around-you-everything-is-on-the-move/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [No state of society or laws can render men so much alike but that education, fortune, and tastes will interpose some differences between them;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/no-state-of-society-or-laws-can-render-men-so-much-alike-but-that/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [I do not know if the people of the United States would vote for superior men if they ran for office, but there can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-do-not-know-if-the-people-of-the-united-states-would-vote-for/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [What good does it do me, after all, if an ever-watchful authority keeps an eye out to ensure that my pleasures will be tranquil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/what-good-does-it-do-me-after-all-if-an-ever-watchful-authority-keeps/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/the-greatness-of-america-lies-not-in-being-more-enlightened-than-any/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [“I am unacquainted with His designs, but I shall not cease to believe in them because I cannot fathom them, and I had rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-am-unacquainted-with-his-designs-but-i-shall-not-cease-to-believe/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [I questioned the faithful of all communions; I particularly sought the society of clergymen, who are the depositories of the various creeds and have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-questioned-the-faithful-of-all-communions-i-particularly-sought-the/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Christianity is the companion of liberty in all its conflicts, the cradle of its infancy, and the divine source of its claims.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/christianity-is-the-companion-of-liberty-in-all-its-conflicts-the/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [The more alike men are, the weaker each feels in the face of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/the-more-alike-men-are-the-weaker-each-feels-in-the-face-of-all/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [“There is a twofold liberty, natural (I mean as our nature is now corrupt) and civil or federal. The first is common to man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/there-is-a-twofold-liberty-natural-i-mean-as-our-nature-is-now/) [Alexis De Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Upon my arrival in the United States the religious aspect of the country was the first thing that struck my attention; and the longer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/upon-my-arrival-in-the-united-states-the-religious-aspect-of-the/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Despotism often presents itself as the repairer of all the ills suffered, the support of just rights, defender of the oppressed, and founder of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/despotism-often-presents-itself-as-the-repairer-of-all-the-ills/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [On this waterlogged landscape…are scattered palaces and hovels…It is here that the human spirit becomes perfect, and at the same time brutalised, that civilisation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/on-this-waterlogged-landscape-are-scattered-palaces-and-hovels-it-is/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [“Despotism may govern without faith, but liberty cannot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/despotism-may-govern-without-faith-but-liberty-cannot/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) [Explore all 438 Alexis de Tocqueville quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) ## More Attention quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [What people don't normally know about us is the hustle is very real, and it's sorely driven a lot by how we consider ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/what-people-don-t-normally-know-about-us-is-the-hustle-is-very-real/) [Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/) > [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/) [Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. Thanksgiving will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/let-us-thank-god-heartily-as-often-as-we-pray-that-we-have-his-spirit/) [Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/) > [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [We must have a welfare system that we can afford, which will mean giving greater attention to directing the welfare program toward its primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/we-must-have-a-welfare-system-that-we-can-afford-which-will-mean/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/) [Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/) [Browse all 10,153 Attention quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Among these widely differing families of men, the first that attracts attention, the superior in intelligence, in power, and in enjoyment, is the white, or European, the MAN pre-eminently so called, below him appear the Negro and the Indian.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alexis de Tocqueville" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/among-these-widely-differing-families-of-men-the-first-that-attracts/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attention" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/among-these-widely-differing-families-of-men-the-first-that-attracts/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb3/alexis-de-tocqueville-625_attention_among-these-widely-differing-families-of_150837.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb3/alexis-de-tocqueville-625_attention_among-these-widely-differing-families-of_150837.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb3/alexis-de-tocqueville-625_attention_among-these-widely-differing-families-of_150837.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Among these widely differing families of men, the first that attracts attention, the superior in…” — Alexis de Tocqueville", "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": "Alexis de Tocqueville", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Among these widely differing families of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/among-these-widely-differing-families-of-men-the-first-that-attracts/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/among-these-widely-differing-families-of-men-the-first-that-attracts/#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 } } ] } ```