--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: America does not presume to know what is…" description: "\"America does not presume to know what is best for everyone\" — Barack Obama" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2a/barack-obama-17_america_america-does-not-presume-to-know-what-is_2325084.jpg" --- # America does not presume to know what is best for everyone ![“America does not presume to know what is best for everyone” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2a/barack-obama-17_america_america-does-not-presume-to-know-what-is_2325084.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2a/barack-obama-17_america_america-does-not-presume-to-know-what-is_2325084.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2a/barack-obama-17_america_america-does-not-presume-to-know-what-is_2325084.jpg) > “America does not presume to know what is best for everyone” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker asserts that no one can claim universal knowledge of what is best for all people, emphasizing humility and diversity of perspectives. **In simple terms:** No one knows what’s best for everyone. Key Takeaway Respect diverse viewpoints and avoid imposing a single solution. Themes humility diversity leadership Mood thoughtful serious Type political ethical When to use this quote - policy making - global governance - community decisions Key Concepts political philosophy ethical relativism Questions to Reflect On - What mechanisms ensure inclusive decision making? - How can we balance expertise with humility? A Different Perspective Assuming expertise can lead to paternalism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [The one thing I've found is that someone always knows more than you do, including your babies. There are loads of things people presume…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/the-one-thing-i-ve-found-is-that-someone-always-knows-more-than-you/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [I wouldn't presume to know something, but I have lots to learn and that's what I attempt to do through my work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-wright/i-wouldn-t-presume-to-know-something-but-i-have-lots-to-learn-and/) [Joe Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-wright/) > [I'm not perfect, either. In the end, it's only God's judgement that matters, and I've learned enough to know that no one can presume…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/i-m-not-perfect-either-in-the-end-it-s-only-god-s-judgement-that/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [We are still the America that does the hard things, that does the great things. We're the nation that always dared to dream. We're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-are-still-the-america-that-does-the-hard-things-that-does-the/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [But I'm here to say that when we do speak out, we're going to do so because the United States of America does believe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/but-i-m-here-to-say-that-when-we-do-speak-out-we-re-going-to-do-so/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [America does not stand still...and neither will I.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/america-does-not-stand-still-and-neither-will-i/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Sometimes, the most important thing you'll need to know, is how to be your own best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-the-most-important-thing-you-ll-need-to-know-is-how-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Racism is a cancer that America does not want to cure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-d/racism-is-a-cancer-that-america-does-not-want-to-cure/) [Willie D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-d/) > [When the United States of America does things in its best interests, it is hated. I'm sorry, that just ticks me off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/when-the-united-states-of-america-does-things-in-its-best-interests/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [What America does best is produce the ability to accept failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/what-america-does-best-is-produce-the-ability-to-accept-failure/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [Very little of what America does is actually bad, and I don't think it ever does anything anywhere that is intentionally bad. I mean,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/very-little-of-what-america-does-is-actually-bad-and-i-don-t-think-it/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [America does not stand with dictators, and we never will and we shall never.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruben-gallego/america-does-not-stand-with-dictators-and-we-never-will-and-we-shall/) [Ruben Gallego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruben-gallego/) > [In fact, American presidents never apologize for what America does in war, because in the American mind, all its wars are defensive, always fought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macdonald/in-fact-american-presidents-never-apologize-for-what-america-does-in/) [Neil Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macdonald/) > [The United States of America does not have friends; it has interests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foster-dulles/the-united-states-of-america-does-not-have-friends-it-has-interests/) [John Foster Dulles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foster-dulles/) > [America does not go abroad in search of monsters to destroy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/america-does-not-go-abroad-in-search-of-monsters-to-destroy/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) ## More by Barack Obama > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We had a farewell dinner for some of my senior staff, and generally everybody likes to talk about how cool I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-had-a-farewell-dinner-for-some-of-my-senior-staff-and-generally/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ It's good to get fresh legs in \[the White house\]. I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [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/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [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/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "America does not presume to know what is best for everyone", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/america-does-not-presume-to-know-what-is-best-for-everyone/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/america-does-not-presume-to-know-what-is-best-for-everyone/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2a/barack-obama-17_america_america-does-not-presume-to-know-what-is_2325084.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2a/barack-obama-17_america_america-does-not-presume-to-know-what-is_2325084.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2a/barack-obama-17_america_america-does-not-presume-to-know-what-is_2325084.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“America does not presume to know what is best for everyone” — Barack Obama", "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": "Barack Obama", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "America does not presume to know...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/america-does-not-presume-to-know-what-is-best-for-everyone/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/america-does-not-presume-to-know-what-is-best-for-everyone/#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 } } ] } ```