--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think, as a country, that we can be…" description: "\"I think, as a country, that we can be quite harsh on ourselves.\" — Andrew Robertson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/793/andrew-robertson-10124_country_i-think-as-a-country-that-we-can-be-quit_1450847.jpg" --- # I think, as a country, that we can be quite harsh on… ![“I think, as a country, that we can be quite harsh on ourselves.” quote by Andrew Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/793/andrew-robertson-10124_country_i-think-as-a-country-that-we-can-be-quit_1450847.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/793/andrew-robertson-10124_country_i-think-as-a-country-that-we-can-be-quit_1450847.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/793/andrew-robertson-10124_country_i-think-as-a-country-that-we-can-be-quit_1450847.jpg) > “I think, as a country, that we can be quite harsh on ourselves.” [Andrew Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-robertson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A nation can be overly critical of itself, hindering progress and morale. **In simple terms:** Countries may be too hard on themselves, limiting growth. Key Takeaway Balance self‑critique with constructive optimism. Themes national identity self‑criticism policy growth Mood critical hopeful Type political reflective When to use this quote - policy making - public speeches - education reform - media narratives Key Concepts Collective self‑image resilience public discourse Questions to Reflect On - How does self‑criticism affect national unity? - What alternative narratives could foster healthier self‑view? A Different Perspective Harsh self‑assessment can motivate improvement if applied wisely. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Country Quite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country-quite-4841038/) [Harsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harsh/) [I think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-think/) [Ourselves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ourselves/) [Patriotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotism/) [Quite Harsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quite-harsh-1697023/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Think Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-country/) ## Related quotes > [I feel like I'm quite harsh on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-maddison/i-feel-like-i-m-quite-harsh-on-myself/) [James Maddison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-maddison/) > [“Rolling country, not yet quite mountainous, with woods and lakes, is what I like best.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/rolling-country-not-yet-quite-mountainous-with-woods-and-lakes-is/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [When I'm a bit sad, I often go for a drive in the country, quite fast with my music up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-harris/when-i-m-a-bit-sad-i-often-go-for-a-drive-in-the-country-quite-fast/) [Calvin Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-harris/) > [I love Trinidad and I love living there, but it's quite harsh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-doig/i-love-trinidad-and-i-love-living-there-but-it-s-quite-harsh/) [Peter Doig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-doig/) > [The vast majority of the people who populate our planet live lives of quiet desperation that are all too often quite harsh and painful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-vast-majority-of-the-people-who-populate-our-planet-live-lives-of/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [We like to think the best of ourselves. We like to believe we always say and do the right things. We like to believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/we-like-to-think-the-best-of-ourselves-we-like-to-believe-we-always/) [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) > [“It is imperative that we replace those who think they own this country, with those who built it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-baldwin/it-is-imperative-that-we-replace-those-who-think-they-own-this/) [Alec Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-baldwin/) > [When I think about country music, I think about America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-cash/when-i-think-about-country-music-i-think-about-america/) [Johnny Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-cash/) > [ \[Donald Trump\] just would not be in his element and I think he would wobble off course and I think the country just can't… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/donald-trump-just-would-not-be-in-his-element-and-i-think-he-would/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [I think one country with nuclear weapons is one country too many.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/i-think-one-country-with-nuclear-weapons-is-one-country-too-many/) [Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/) > [I am surprised that in various countries, whether it's the U.K. or the U.S., you see isolationist tendencies that would tend to work against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/i-am-surprised-that-in-various-countries-whether-it-s-the-u-k-or-the/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [If it wasn't for Kenny Rogers, I don't think I would be in country music. He was that guy when I was a kid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darius-rucker/if-it-wasn-t-for-kenny-rogers-i-don-t-think-i-would-be-in-country/) [Darius Rucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darius-rucker/) > [I do think I'm country, but your definition of that word might be different from my definition. In my opinion, country music, the sound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-hunt/i-do-think-i-m-country-but-your-definition-of-that-word-might-be/) [Sam Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-hunt/) > [Oh, I think country has changed tremendously. I think country has totally changed. Country music when I was a kid was Hank Williams. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/oh-i-think-country-has-changed-tremendously-i-think-country-has/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [I think our country is the best country in the world, you know, but there's just obviously a lot of things that we don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/breanna-stewart/i-think-our-country-is-the-best-country-in-the-world-you-know-but/) [Breanna Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/breanna-stewart/) ## More by Andrew Robertson > [I don't get emotional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-robertson/i-don-t-get-emotional/) [Andrew Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-robertson/) > [I'm not a person who wants to be the centre of attention or anything like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-robertson/i-m-not-a-person-who-wants-to-be-the-centre-of-attention-or-anything/) [Andrew Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-robertson/) > [The people who sadly stay in on a Saturday - and I include myself in there - look forward to 'Match of the Day.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-robertson/the-people-who-sadly-stay-in-on-a-saturday-and-i-include-myself-in/) [Andrew Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-robertson/) > [Nobody wants the left-back's shirt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-robertson/nobody-wants-the-left-back-s-shirt/) [Andrew Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-robertson/) > [You want the world-class players playing at the World Cup, and you want them to do themselves justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-robertson/you-want-the-world-class-players-playing-at-the-world-cup-and-you/) [Andrew Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-robertson/) > [I don't like sitting on the bench even when it was very rare at Hull to rest during cup games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-robertson/i-don-t-like-sitting-on-the-bench-even-when-it-was-very-rare-at-hull/) [Andrew Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-robertson/) > [I had grown up going to Celtic Park with Mum, Dad, and my brother. We had four season tickets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-robertson/i-had-grown-up-going-to-celtic-park-with-mum-dad-and-my-brother-we/) [Andrew Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-robertson/) > [Football is full of highs and lows, but when people retire, they often say, 'I wish I'd enjoyed it more.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-robertson/football-is-full-of-highs-and-lows-but-when-people-retire-they-often/) [Andrew Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-robertson/) > [I don't like it if I'm not part of the starting 11.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-robertson/i-don-t-like-it-if-i-m-not-part-of-the-starting-11/) [Andrew Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-robertson/) > [I've never wanted to be a poster boy, but if I'm going to be a poster boy for anything, it should be this. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-robertson/i-ve-never-wanted-to-be-a-poster-boy-but-if-i-m-going-to-be-a-poster/) [Andrew Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-robertson/) > [Even when I have a good game, you can still do things better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-robertson/even-when-i-have-a-good-game-you-can-still-do-things-better/) [Andrew Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-robertson/) > [If you're let go from Celtic, the club you support, and go to Queen's Park, people think it's a disaster. I don't think I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-robertson/if-you-re-let-go-from-celtic-the-club-you-support-and-go-to-queen-s/) [Andrew Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-robertson/) > [There is no point in getting nervous. I get a few butterflies in my stomach, but it isn't really nerves but things that will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-robertson/there-is-no-point-in-getting-nervous-i-get-a-few-butterflies-in-my/) [Andrew Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-robertson/) > [I've been very fortunate that I've played under a lot of very good captains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-robertson/i-ve-been-very-fortunate-that-i-ve-played-under-a-lot-of-very-good/) [Andrew Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-robertson/) > [Don't get me wrong: it's unbelievable getting linked with big clubs. That's where you want to go; of course it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-robertson/don-t-get-me-wrong-it-s-unbelievable-getting-linked-with-big-clubs/) [Andrew Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-robertson/) [Explore all 67 Andrew Robertson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-robertson/) ## More Country quotes > [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [There's no reason someone who has fought for their country should be homeless of jobless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/there-s-no-reason-someone-who-has-fought-for-their-country-should-be/) [Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [It's very nice to be a rebel saying, 'I stand on my principles,' but if in fact that's not going to have any impact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-grieve/it-s-very-nice-to-be-a-rebel-saying-i-stand-on-my-principles-but-if/) [Dominic Grieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-grieve/) > [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [That's what this country is. It's made up of immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bria-vinaite/that-s-what-this-country-is-it-s-made-up-of-immigrants/) [Bria Vinaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bria-vinaite/) > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > ['Lovecraft Country' is reclaiming all these pulp genres for people of color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-green/lovecraft-country-is-reclaiming-all-these-pulp-genres-for-people-of/) [Misha Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-green/) > [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/) [Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/) [Browse all 29,881 Country quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think, as a country, that we can be quite harsh on ourselves.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Andrew Robertson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-robertson/i-think-as-a-country-that-we-can-be-quite-harsh-on-ourselves/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Country" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-robertson/i-think-as-a-country-that-we-can-be-quite-harsh-on-ourselves/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/793/andrew-robertson-10124_country_i-think-as-a-country-that-we-can-be-quit_1450847.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/793/andrew-robertson-10124_country_i-think-as-a-country-that-we-can-be-quit_1450847.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/793/andrew-robertson-10124_country_i-think-as-a-country-that-we-can-be-quit_1450847.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think, as a country, that we can be quite harsh on ourselves.” — Andrew Robertson", "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": "Andrew Robertson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-robertson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think, as a country, that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-robertson/i-think-as-a-country-that-we-can-be-quite-harsh-on-ourselves/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-robertson/i-think-as-a-country-that-we-can-be-quite-harsh-on-ourselves/#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 } } ] } ```