--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Humanity’s greatest advances are not in…" description: "\"Humanity’s greatest advances are not in its discoveries – but in how those discoveries are applied to reduce inequity. Whether through democracy, stron..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d07/bill-gates-137_achievement_humanity-s-greatest-advances-are-not-in_1803486.jpg" --- # Humanity’s greatest advances are not in its discoveries –… ![“Humanity’s greatest advances are not in its discoveries – but in how those discoveries are applied to reduce inequity. Whether through democracy, strong public education, quality health care, or broad economic opportunity – reducing inequity is the highest human achievement.” quote by Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d07/bill-gates-137_achievement_humanity-s-greatest-advances-are-not-in_1803486.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d07/bill-gates-137_achievement_humanity-s-greatest-advances-are-not-in_1803486.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d07/bill-gates-137_achievement_humanity-s-greatest-advances-are-not-in_1803486.jpg) > “Humanity’s greatest advances are not in its discoveries – but in how those discoveries are applied to reduce inequity. Whether through democracy, strong public education, quality health care, or broad economic opportunity – reducing inequity is the highest human achievement.” [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human progress is measured not by inventions alone but by using them to close gaps in wealth, health, and opportunity. **In simple terms:** Advances matter most when they reduce inequality. Key Takeaway Apply innovations to help the disadvantaged. Themes equity innovation public good Mood optimistic inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - policy making - philanthropy - education reform Key Concepts social justice technology diffusion Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure technology reaches the poorest? - What policies best support equitable outcomes? A Different Perspective Implementation can be hindered by political resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Achievement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievement/) [Broads](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/broads/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Discovery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovery/) [Economic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Health care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health-care/) [Highest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/highest/) [Human Achievement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-achievement-1291650/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Inequity Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inequity-democracy-2051665/) [Inequity Highest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inequity-highest-2051664/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Public education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-education/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Quality health care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality-health-care/) [Reduce Inequity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reduce-inequity-2051663/) [Reducing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reducing/) [Reducing Inequity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reducing-inequity-2051662/) [Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [If we can find approaches that meet the needs of the poor in ways that generate profits for business and votes for politicians, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/if-we-can-find-approaches-that-meet-the-needs-of-the-poor-in-ways/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [I've been very lucky, and therefore I owe it to try and reduce the inequity in the world. And that's kind of a religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/i-ve-been-very-lucky-and-therefore-i-owe-it-to-try-and-reduce-the/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Humanity's greatest advances are not in its discoveries but in how those discoveries are applied to reduce inequity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/humanity-s-greatest-advances-are-not-in-its-discoveries-but-in-how/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Because of the president's leadership, every American will have access to affordable, quality health care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahm-emanuel/because-of-the-president-s-leadership-every-american-will-have-access/) [Rahm Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahm-emanuel/) > [I believe the most important aspect of Medicare is not the structure of the program but the guarantee to all Americans that they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-wyden/i-believe-the-most-important-aspect-of-medicare-is-not-the-structure/) [Ron Wyden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-wyden/) > [We need a cost-effective, high-quality health care system, guaranteeing health care to all of our people as a right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-need-a-cost-effective-high-quality-health-care-system-guaranteeing/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [When mothers earn their fair share, young children have greater access to quality health care, educational opportunities, and safe communities. By ending the wage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-gillibrand/when-mothers-earn-their-fair-share-young-children-have-greater-access/) [Kirsten Gillibrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-gillibrand/) > [Giving a veteran a flag is not a substitute for giving our vets the quality health care they were promised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-durbin/giving-a-veteran-a-flag-is-not-a-substitute-for-giving-our-vets-the/) [Dick Durbin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-durbin/) > [The idea that somehow you're going to tax the 'rich' enough to pay for quality health care for every American who doesn't have it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-estrich/the-idea-that-somehow-you-re-going-to-tax-the-rich-enough-to-pay-for/) [Susan Estrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-estrich/) > [Look at other countries that have tried to have federally controlled health care. They have poor-quality health care. Our health-care system is the envy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/look-at-other-countries-that-have-tried-to-have-federally-controlled/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Truly affordable but high-quality health care tools and services are the only means by which quality health care can be provided to all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-yunus/truly-affordable-but-high-quality-health-care-tools-and-services-are/) [Muhammad Yunus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-yunus/) > [Whether it's making sure that families have access to quality health care and child care, or making sure that our children receive the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blanche-lincoln/whether-it-s-making-sure-that-families-have-access-to-quality-health/) [Blanche Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blanche-lincoln/) > [Our challenge, our opportunity is to pass common-sense solutions ... that repeal ObamaCare and replace it with patient-centered reforms that will help our constituents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boehner/our-challenge-our-opportunity-is-to-pass-common-sense-solutions-that/) [John Boehner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boehner/) > [There are the fundamental core values of the Democratic Party, which is to work to grow the economy, to create jobs, to encourage small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/there-are-the-fundamental-core-values-of-the-democratic-party-which/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) > [Progressive visions pale and are smashed next to the normalization of market-driven government policies that wipe out pensions, eliminate quality health care, punish unions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/progressive-visions-pale-and-are-smashed-next-to-the-normalization-of/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) ## More by Bill Gates > [If you’re a person struggling to eat and stay healthy you might have heard about Michael Jordan or Muhammad Ali, but you’ll never have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/if-you-re-a-person-struggling-to-eat-and-stay-healthy-you-might-have/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [I really had a lot of dreams when I was a kid, and I think a great deal of that grew out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/i-really-had-a-lot-of-dreams-when-i-was-a-kid-and-i-think-a-great/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Understanding science and pushing the boundaries of science is what makes me immensely satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/understanding-science-and-pushing-the-boundaries-of-science-is-what/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [We're focused on providing innovations in software, driving the continuous improvement for a much better experience, and there's a lot going on here that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/we-re-focused-on-providing-innovations-in-software-driving-the/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Paper is no longer a big part of my day. I get 90% of my news online, and when I go to a meeting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/paper-is-no-longer-a-big-part-of-my-day-i-get-90-of-my-news-online/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Software will get to be somewhat more mature, ah, but it will never be as predictable as most areas of engineering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/software-will-get-to-be-somewhat-more-mature-ah-but-it-will-never-be/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Students deserve great teachers. And teachers deserve the support they need to become great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/students-deserve-great-teachers-and-teachers-deserve-the-support-they/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [The machines need to get faster. They need to get cheaper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-machines-need-to-get-faster-they-need-to-get-cheaper/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Like many others, I have deep misgivings about the state of education in the United States. Too many of our students fail to graduate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/like-many-others-i-have-deep-misgivings-about-the-state-of-education/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Over time, yes, countries will need to look at specific GMO products like they look at drugs today, where they don't approve them all.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/over-time-yes-countries-will-need-to-look-at-specific-gmo-products/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Competition is always a fantastic thing, and the computer industry is intensely competitive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/competition-is-always-a-fantastic-thing-and-the-computer-industry-is/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [I don't think there's anything unique about human intellience. All the nuerons in the brain that make up perceptions and emotions operate in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/i-don-t-think-there-s-anything-unique-about-human-intellience-all-the/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [At every juncture, advanced tools have been the key to a new wave of applications, and each wave of applications has been key to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/at-every-juncture-advanced-tools-have-been-the-key-to-a-new-wave-of/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Software is more important than hardware.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/software-is-more-important-than-hardware/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Talking to mothers, always brings it home because they're so anxious to do everything they can for their kids and so tragic for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/talking-to-mothers-always-brings-it-home-because-they-re-so-anxious/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) [Explore all 1,165 Bill Gates quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) ## More Achievement quotes > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [“If attempting to make the world a civilized one, makes you a bad woman in the eyes of the dumb patriarchal society, then, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/if-attempting-to-make-the-world-a-civilized-one-makes-you-a-bad-woman/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [One achieves true human dignity only when one serves. Only he is great who subjects himself to taking part in the achievement of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/one-achieves-true-human-dignity-only-when-one-serves-only-he-is-great/) [Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/) > [Needs cause motivation. Deep-rooted desires for esteem, affection, belonging, achievement, self-actualization, power, and control motivate us to push for what we want and need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorii-myers/needs-cause-motivation-deep-rooted-desires-for-esteem-affection/) [Lorii Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorii-myers/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [It's tragic what America has become because there is a great segment of society that now resents luxury and success and achievement by others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-leach/it-s-tragic-what-america-has-become-because-there-is-a-great-segment/) [Robin Leach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-leach/) > [To preserve an unclouded capacity for the enjoyment of life is an unusual moral and psychological achievement. Contrary to popular belief, it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/to-preserve-an-unclouded-capacity-for-the-enjoyment-of-life-is-an/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) > [Joel Lane documents a life we don’t quite live, in a city we can’t quite find: half glimpsed and half imagined, we know it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaz-brenchley/joel-lane-documents-a-life-we-don-t-quite-live-in-a-city-we-can-t/) [Chaz Brenchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaz-brenchley/) > [The main substantive achievement of neoliberalism has been to redistribute rather than to generate wealth and income.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harvey/the-main-substantive-achievement-of-neoliberalism-has-been-to/) [David Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harvey/) > [Every profession has an ideology and a drive for power that goes far beyond its achievements and it is the task of democracy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feyerabend/every-profession-has-an-ideology-and-a-drive-for-power-that-goes-far/) [Paul Feyerabend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feyerabend/) > [We have Internet now and people are not stupid. But it seems that some people are trying to push the same agenda of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/we-have-internet-now-and-people-are-not-stupid-but-it-seems-that-some/) [Bassem Youssef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/) > [“If you find a way where there seems to be no way, that’s what we call miracle, not personal achievement.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nkwachukwu-ogbuagu/if-you-find-a-way-where-there-seems-to-be-no-way-that-s-what-we-call/) [Nkwachukwu Ogbuagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nkwachukwu-ogbuagu/) > [The Baseball Hall of Fame is something every player dreams about, but being a member of God's Hall of Fame is the greatest achievement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-carter/the-baseball-hall-of-fame-is-something-every-player-dreams-about-but/) [Gary Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-carter/) > [Cease speaking of enemies when an achievement can kindle a great light. Solitude will transmit the message better than the murmurs of crowds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-roerich/cease-speaking-of-enemies-when-an-achievement-can-kindle-a-great/) [Nicholas Roerich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-roerich/) > [Every scene is a challenge. There are technical challenges, but often it's the simplest challenge where you feel a sense of achievement when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-deakins/every-scene-is-a-challenge-there-are-technical-challenges-but-often/) [Roger Deakins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-deakins/) [Browse all 3,867 Achievement quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievement/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Humanity’s greatest advances are not in its discoveries – but in how those discoveries are applied to reduce inequity. Whether through democracy, strong public education, quality health care, or broad economic opportunity – reducing inequity is the highest human achievement.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bill Gates" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/humanity-s-greatest-advances-are-not-in-its-discoveries-but-in-how-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Achievement" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/humanity-s-greatest-advances-are-not-in-its-discoveries-but-in-how-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d07/bill-gates-137_achievement_humanity-s-greatest-advances-are-not-in_1803486.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d07/bill-gates-137_achievement_humanity-s-greatest-advances-are-not-in_1803486.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d07/bill-gates-137_achievement_humanity-s-greatest-advances-are-not-in_1803486.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Humanity’s greatest advances are not in its discoveries – but in how those discoveries are applied to reduce…” — Bill Gates", "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": "Bill Gates", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Humanity’s greatest advances are not in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/humanity-s-greatest-advances-are-not-in-its-discoveries-but-in-how-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/humanity-s-greatest-advances-are-not-in-its-discoveries-but-in-how-2/#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 } } ] } ```