--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's not a question we ask ourselves…" description: "\"“It's not a question we ask ourselves enough, I think; as a country, we seem to be suffering from an empathy deficit. We wouldn't tolerate schools that..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d57/barack-obama-17_children_it-s-not-a-question-we-ask-ourselves-eno_2549244.jpg" --- # It's not a question we ask ourselves enough, I think; as a… ![“It's not a question we ask ourselves enough, I think; as a country, we seem to be suffering from an empathy deficit. We wouldn't tolerate schools that don't teach, that are chronically underfunded and understaffed and underinspired, if we thought that the children in them were like our children. I…” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d57/barack-obama-17_children_it-s-not-a-question-we-ask-ourselves-eno_2549244.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d57/barack-obama-17_children_it-s-not-a-question-we-ask-ourselves-eno_2549244.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d57/barack-obama-17_children_it-s-not-a-question-we-ask-ourselves-eno_2549244.jpg) > ““It's not a question we ask ourselves enough, I think; as a country, we seem to be suffering from an empathy deficit. We wouldn't tolerate schools that don't teach, that are chronically underfunded and understaffed and underinspired, if we thought that the children in them were like our children. I believe a stronger sense of empathy would tilt the balance of our current politics in favor of those who are struggling. If we fail to help, we diminish ourselves.”” [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. Empathy is lacking in society, leading to underfunded schools and neglect of vulnerable people; fostering empathy would improve political decisions and collective well‑being. **In simple terms:** Lack of empathy harms society; more empathy would help. Key Takeaway Cultivate empathy in policy and daily life. Themes empathy education politics social responsibility Mood concerned hopeful Type political social When to use this quote - school funding debates - community volunteering - legislative advocacy - parent‑teacher meetings Key Concepts collective well‑being public policy humanism Questions to Reflect On - How can we measure empathy in policy? - What steps can individuals take to increase empathy? A Different Perspective Empathy alone may not overcome entrenched economic interests. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Empathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empathy/) [Empathy Deficit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empathy-deficit-936453/) [Empathy Tilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empathy-tilt-1505407/) [Sense Empathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense-empathy-713597/) [Suffering Empathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering-empathy-1505406/) ## Related quotes > [The world doesn't just revolve around you. There's a lot of talk in this country about the federal deficit. 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Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/) > [I really like feeling connected to people and feeling like I have a good, solid sense of empathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-bender/i-really-like-feeling-connected-to-people-and-feeling-like-i-have-a/) [Aimee Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-bender/) > [If you're going to make a movie about a character who is a supervillain, it's fantastic to have a core sense of empathy for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-meledandri/if-you-re-going-to-make-a-movie-about-a-character-who-is-a/) [Chris Meledandri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-meledandri/) ## 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. 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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 Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. 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