Circles Quote by Barbara Deming
“What is the revolution that we need? We need to dissolve the lie that some people have a right to think of other people as their property. And we need at last to form a circle that includes us all, in which all of us are seen as equal... We do not belong to the other, but our lives are linked; we belong in a circle of others.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview on Social Justice, 1970s
The quote calls for ending the belief that any group can own others, urging universal equality and interconnectedness.
In simple terms: End ownership of people; recognize everyone as equal.
Key Takeaway
Promote inclusive circles of equality.
Themes
equality
human rights
interconnectedness
Mood
hopeful
determined
Type
philosophical
activist
When to use this quote
- activism
- education
- policy reform
- community building
Key Concepts
social justice
human dignity
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies dismantle the notion of human ownership?
- What steps create true equality?
A Different Perspective
Changing deep‑seated beliefs about ownership is difficult.
![“Tell them you came, and saw, and looked into my eyes and saw the shadow of the guard receding. Thoughts in time and out of season, the hitchinker stood by the side of the road and levelled his thumb in the calm calculus of reason. [...] Why does my mind circle around you? Why do planets wonder…” quote by Jim Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9ae/jim-morrison-1692_bird_tell-them-you-came-and-saw-and-looked-in_18280.jpg)