--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What's happened here, Sayid? There never…" description: "\"“What's happened here, Sayid? There never used to be such begging.\" \"You are right,\" he said. \"I believe they have learned this thing from those in the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa2/barack-obama-17_poverty_what-s-happened-here-sayid-there-never-u_775905.jpg" --- # What's happened here, Sayid? There never used to be such… ![“What's happened here, Sayid? There never used to be such begging." "You are right," he said. "I believe they have learned this thing from those in the city. People come back from Nairobi or Kisumu and tell them, 'You are poor.' So now we have this idea of poverty. We didn't have this idea before…” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa2/barack-obama-17_poverty_what-s-happened-here-sayid-there-never-u_775905.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa2/barack-obama-17_poverty_what-s-happened-here-sayid-there-never-u_775905.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa2/barack-obama-17_poverty_what-s-happened-here-sayid-there-never-u_775905.jpg) > ““What's happened here, Sayid? There never used to be such begging." "You are right," he said. "I believe they have learned this thing from those in the city. People come back from Nairobi or Kisumu and tell them, 'You are poor.' So now we have this idea of poverty. We didn't have this idea before. You look at my mother. She will never ask for anything. She has always something that she is doing. None of it brings much money, but it is something, you see. It gives her pride. Anyone could do the same, but many people here, they prefer to give up.”” [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. People adopt external ideas of poverty, changing self‑perception and diminishing pride in work. **In simple terms:** Adopting outside ideas can erode self‑respect in labor. Key Takeaway Recognize and value intrinsic worth beyond external labels. Themes poverty identity pride culture self‑esteem Mood reflective concerned Type sociological philosophical When to use this quote - rural community - urban migration - intergenerational dialogue Key Concepts social conditioning psychology economic perception Questions to Reflect On - How do outside influences reshape community self‑image? - What can preserve dignity in changing economies? A Different Perspective External narratives can undermine local values and resilience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) ## Related quotes > [“Hey, Lee, you finally grew some and went and got your girl, hey?” “Not sure if I’m fully forgiven yet, but I did a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-jones/hey-lee-you-finally-grew-some-and-went-and-got-your-girl-hey-not-sure/) [Lesley Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-jones/) > [But the economic meltdown should have undone, once and for all, the idea of poverty as a personal shortcoming or dysfunctional state of mind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/but-the-economic-meltdown-should-have-undone-once-and-for-all-the/) [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) > [We need to have a purpose in this life. I'm pleading with you, I'm begging with you to do the right thing. And do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcgreevey/we-need-to-have-a-purpose-in-this-life-i-m-pleading-with-you-i-m/) [James McGreevey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcgreevey/) > [Poverty didn't necessarily engender an envy of wealth; sometimes it might beget a passion for decency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-hampl/poverty-didn-t-necessarily-engender-an-envy-of-wealth-sometimes-it/) [Patricia Hampl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-hampl/) > [Bobby Kennedy is so concerned with poverty because he didn't have any as a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/bobby-kennedy-is-so-concerned-with-poverty-because-he-didn-t-have-any/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [This is not about charity, it's about justice... The war against terror is bound up in the war against poverty - I didn't say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/this-is-not-about-charity-it-s-about-justice-the-war-against-terror-2/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [Bonnie and Clyde grew up in absolute poverty. They didn't go to school or have any money; the only way they could figure out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-jordan/bonnie-and-clyde-grew-up-in-absolute-poverty-they-didn-t-go-to-school/) [Jeremy Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-jordan/) > [If you want to get at African American poverty, the income gap, wealth gap, achievement gap, that the most important thing is to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/if-you-want-to-get-at-african-american-poverty-the-income-gap-wealth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [In the wealthiest nation on Earth, no one who works full-time should have to live in poverty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/in-the-wealthiest-nation-on-earth-no-one-who-works-full-time-should/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We long for our father. We wear his clothes, and actually try to fill his shoes. . . . We hang on to him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-pittman/we-long-for-our-father-we-wear-his-clothes-and-actually-try-to-fill/) [Frank Pittman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-pittman/) > [“He kept begging God, “Please, please, please open my heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/he-kept-begging-god-please-please-please-open-my-heart/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“Any fool that had once helped you will someday make known to everyone that you were once a needy. No matter how broke you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/any-fool-that-had-once-helped-you-will-someday-make-known-to-everyone/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [How much more of the mosque, of prayer and fasting? Better go drunk and begging round the taverns. Khayyam, drink wine, for soon this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-khayy-m/how-much-more-of-the-mosque-of-prayer-and-fasting-better-go-drunk-and/) [Omar Khayyam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-khayy-m/) > [Daddy always said the only thing worth begging for was your life, but maybe he was wrong. Maybe sometimes your love is a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/daddy-always-said-the-only-thing-worth-begging-for-was-your-life-but/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“You are the queen, he ought to be begging leave of you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/you-are-the-queen-he-ought-to-be-begging-leave-of-you/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) ## 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 Begging quotes > [“You are the queen, he ought to be begging leave of you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/you-are-the-queen-he-ought-to-be-begging-leave-of-you/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [Daddy always said the only thing worth begging for was your life, but maybe he was wrong. Maybe sometimes your love is a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/daddy-always-said-the-only-thing-worth-begging-for-was-your-life-but/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [How much more of the mosque, of prayer and fasting? Better go drunk and begging round the taverns. Khayyam, drink wine, for soon this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-khayy-m/how-much-more-of-the-mosque-of-prayer-and-fasting-better-go-drunk-and/) [Omar Khayyam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-khayy-m/) > [“Any fool that had once helped you will someday make known to everyone that you were once a needy. No matter how broke you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/any-fool-that-had-once-helped-you-will-someday-make-known-to-everyone/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“He kept begging God, “Please, please, please open my heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/he-kept-begging-god-please-please-please-open-my-heart/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [We long for our father. We wear his clothes, and actually try to fill his shoes. . . . We hang on to him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-pittman/we-long-for-our-father-we-wear-his-clothes-and-actually-try-to-fill/) [Frank Pittman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-pittman/) > [The desperation was coming off you in waves. You were all but begging to dance with me. I am doing you a favor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-hocking/the-desperation-was-coming-off-you-in-waves-you-were-all-but-begging/) [Amanda Hocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-hocking/) > [While you're ignoring me, someone else is begging for my attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/while-you-re-ignoring-me-someone-else-is-begging-for-my-attention/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I would willingly stand at street corners, hat in hand, begging passerby to drop their unused minutes into it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-berenson/i-would-willingly-stand-at-street-corners-hat-in-hand-begging/) [Bernard Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-berenson/) > [A man in love ... is the master, so it seems, but only if his lady friend permits it! The need to interchange the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-desclos/a-man-in-love-is-the-master-so-it-seems-but-only-if-his-lady-friend/) [Anne Desclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-desclos/) > [As for poker, I've stayed away from that, even though when I was in Vegas for Ocean's Eleven, I would get accosted by these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/as-for-poker-i-ve-stayed-away-from-that-even-though-when-i-was-in/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [“The whole four to five weeks that we've been here in this courtroom has been for one reason. And that is because Theodore Robert…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-rule/the-whole-four-to-five-weeks-that-we-ve-been-here-in-this-courtroom/) [Ann Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-rule/) > [“This is scary,” she whispers. “I’ve never had a boyfriend before. I don’t know how this works. Do people become exclusive this fast? Are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/this-is-scary-she-whispers-i-ve-never-had-a-boyfriend-before-i-don-t/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“On my way over to Park Avenue to find a cab I pass an ugly, homeless bum-- a member of the genetic underclass-- and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/on-my-way-over-to-park-avenue-to-find-a-cab-i-pass-an-ugly-homeless/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [I turned into a monk when my mother went to learn Buddhism in Burma. While she learnt at the monastery, I used to roam…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kabir-bedi/i-turned-into-a-monk-when-my-mother-went-to-learn-buddhism-in-burma/) [Kabir Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kabir-bedi/) Browse all 501 Begging quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“What's happened here, Sayid? There never used to be such begging.\" \"You are right,\" he said. \"I believe they have learned this thing from those in the city. People come back from Nairobi or Kisumu and tell them, 'You are poor.' So now we have this idea of poverty. We didn't have this idea before. You look at my mother. She will never ask for anything. She has always something that she is doing. None of it brings much money, but it is something, you see. It gives her pride. 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