--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don't get cynical. Don't ever think you…" description: "\"Don't get cynical. Don't ever think you can't make a difference.\" — Barack Obama" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/554/barack-obama-17_cynical_don-t-get-cynical-don-t-ever-think-you-c_1305836.jpg" --- # Don't get cynical. Don't ever think you can't make a… ![“Don't get cynical. Don't ever think you can't make a difference.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/554/barack-obama-17_cynical_don-t-get-cynical-don-t-ever-think-you-c_1305836.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/554/barack-obama-17_cynical_don-t-get-cynical-don-t-ever-think-you-c_1305836.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/554/barack-obama-17_cynical_don-t-get-cynical-don-t-ever-think-you-c_1305836.jpg) > “Don't get cynical. Don't ever think you can't make a difference.” [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. Encourages optimism, urging people to reject cynicism and believe in their capacity to effect change. **In simple terms:** Don’t be cynical; you can make a difference. Key Takeaway Believe you can impact. Themes optimism action empowerment Mood motivational encouraging Type political inspirational When to use this quote - activism - community service - voting - grassroots organizing Key Concepts politics social change psychology Questions to Reflect On - What small actions can you take now? - How do you stay hopeful? A Different Perspective Systemic barriers may limit individual impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cynical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynical/) [Cynical Don](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynical-don-4304246/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Don Cynical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-cynical-3558353/) [Don Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-think-234607/) [Make Difference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-difference-239741/) [Making a difference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-a-difference/) [Pessimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pessimism/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [All I ask is one thing, and I’m asking this particularly of young people: please don’t be cynical. I hate cynicism, for the record,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/all-i-ask-is-one-thing-and-i-m-asking-this-particularly-of-young/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [But I'm trying not to be cynical - I don't want to be one of those people who has a cool opportunity and blows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannyn-sossamon/but-i-m-trying-not-to-be-cynical-i-don-t-want-to-be-one-of-those/) [Shannyn Sossamon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannyn-sossamon/) > [I don't seem to be cynical to myself but how what I say goes down with others is their problem. I'm realistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/i-don-t-seem-to-be-cynical-to-myself-but-how-what-i-say-goes-down/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [“All I ask of you is one thing: please don’t be cynical. I hate cynicism — it’s my least favorite quality and it doesn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/all-i-ask-of-you-is-one-thing-please-don-t-be-cynical-i-hate-cynicism/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [It is so important not to let ourselves off the hook or to become apathetic or cynical by telling ourselves that nothing works or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/it-is-so-important-not-to-let-ourselves-off-the-hook-or-to-become/) [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) > [Getting started as a volunteer anywhere can be a challenge to a lot of people. The biggest hurdle is that people think they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-joyner-kersee/getting-started-as-a-volunteer-anywhere-can-be-a-challenge-to-a-lot/) [Jackie Joyner-Kersee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-joyner-kersee/) > [To know that once you decide to look at life outside of the narrow limits of just your world and start to understand that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sarandon/to-know-that-once-you-decide-to-look-at-life-outside-of-the-narrow/) [Susan Sarandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sarandon/) > [Do you want to come climb the transformationa l leadership mountain with me? Your first step begins with DESIRE. Do you want to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/do-you-want-to-come-climb-the-transformationa-l-leadership-mountain/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Make A Difference Day is a great way to introduce kids to the rewards of volunteering. It's fun, it's focused and it's empowering to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-snow/make-a-difference-day-is-a-great-way-to-introduce-kids-to-the-rewards/) [Kate Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-snow/) > [What can you do to make a difference? And why should you do it? (...) the scale of one's social investments doesn't matter. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/what-can-you-do-to-make-a-difference-and-why-should-you-do-it-the/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [The only way to make a difference is to acquire power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-way-to-make-a-difference-is-to-acquire-power/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There can be no difference anywhere that does not make a difference somewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/there-can-be-no-difference-anywhere-that-does-not-make-a-difference/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [One person can make a difference. In fact, its not only possible for one person to make a difference, its essential that one person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-riley/one-person-can-make-a-difference-in-fact-its-not-only-possible-for/) [Bob Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-riley/) > [Go out into the world, find work that you love, learn from your mistakes, and work hard to make a difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-r-greenberg/go-out-into-the-world-find-work-that-you-love-learn-from-your/) [Maurice R. Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-r-greenberg/) > [There has never been, and never will be, anyone who sees, thinks, or responds exactly the way you do. Whether you’re revolutionizing physics or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/there-has-never-been-and-never-will-be-anyone-who-sees-thinks-or/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) ## 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 Cynical quotes > [Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedy, people can become discouraged and cynical. But lives can also be mended. Put back together well, they won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/broken-by-hardships-disappointments-and-tragedy-people-can-become/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) > [“Writers whose thoughts are expressed with clarity and precision are assumed by readers to be superficial. Where the meaning is obscured, then readers give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/writers-whose-thoughts-are-expressed-with-clarity-and-precision-are/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [I would say most comedians have a very cynical worldview of the way the world can work. It's almost like if you didn't, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/i-would-say-most-comedians-have-a-very-cynical-worldview-of-the-way/) [Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/) > [Sure, I’m dramatic and sloppily semi-cynical and semi-sentimental. But, in leisure years I could grow and choose my way. Now I am living on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/sure-i-m-dramatic-and-sloppily-semi-cynical-and-semi-sentimental-but/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [We're so immaturely cynical as a culture. We're not wise enough to look at an institution like marriage and to really things about what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-peterson/we-re-so-immaturely-cynical-as-a-culture-we-re-not-wise-enough-to/) [Jordan Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-peterson/) > [I'm not cynical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-schlessinger/i-m-not-cynical/) [Laura Schlessinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-schlessinger/) > [A well governed people are generally a people who do not think much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-siegfried/a-well-governed-people-are-generally-a-people-who-do-not-think-much/) [Andre Siegfried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-siegfried/) > [I love writers who are insightful enough to be cynical but choose not to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/i-love-writers-who-are-insightful-enough-to-be-cynical-but-choose-not/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [It is a very cynical, skeptical, foolish person that suggests Israel does not need a peace process to have a growing economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-quest/it-is-a-very-cynical-skeptical-foolish-person-that-suggests-israel/) [Richard Quest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-quest/) > [Songwriters might write cynical, world-wise lyrics and constantly talk about money, but most of us are downright naive when it comes to business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-nelson/songwriters-might-write-cynical-world-wise-lyrics-and-constantly-talk/) [Willie Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-nelson/) > [No one more cynical than an idealist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/no-one-more-cynical-than-an-idealist/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [I've actually always wanted to write like a one-person show that was sort of a romantic comedy - a show that was kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/i-ve-actually-always-wanted-to-write-like-a-one-person-show-that-was/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [“That's what I've never been able to get about religion: that charmless combination of altruism and insanity. Give me a cynical, self-interested bastard any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-carey/that-s-what-i-ve-never-been-able-to-get-about-religion-that-charmless/) [Mike Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-carey/) > [As the rain falls and the sun shines, they grow, grow, grow; minds so open, they go through life aware and accepting, seeing light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecelia-ahern/as-the-rain-falls-and-the-sun-shines-they-grow-grow-grow-minds-so/) [Cecelia Ahern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecelia-ahern/) > [One of the weirdest things that happened to artists and art criticism was this moment when everyone got cynical and stopped believing in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/one-of-the-weirdest-things-that-happened-to-artists-and-art-criticism/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) [Browse all 968 Cynical quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynical/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Don't get cynical. 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