--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I stepped into this world, I saw…" description: "\"When I stepped into this world, I saw that we were all burdened by a certain kind of indifference to the plight of poor people. We were burdened by an ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/644/bryan-stevenson-4134_bias_when-i-stepped-into-this-world-i-saw-tha_1530999.png" --- # When I stepped into this world, I saw that we were all… ![“When I stepped into this world, I saw that we were all burdened by a certain kind of indifference to the plight of poor people. We were burdened by an insensitivity to a legacy of racial bias. We were tolerating unfairness and unreliability in a way that burdened me and provoked me.” quote by Bryan Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/644/bryan-stevenson-4134_bias_when-i-stepped-into-this-world-i-saw-tha_1530999.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/644/bryan-stevenson-4134_bias_when-i-stepped-into-this-world-i-saw-tha_1530999.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/644/bryan-stevenson-4134_bias_when-i-stepped-into-this-world-i-saw-tha_1530999.png) > “When I stepped into this world, I saw that we were all burdened by a certain kind of indifference to the plight of poor people. We were burdened by an insensitivity to a legacy of racial bias. We were tolerating unfairness and unreliability in a way that burdened me and provoked me.” [Bryan Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-stevenson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recognizes societal apathy toward poverty and racism, urging active empathy and systemic change to alleviate suffering **In simple terms:** Society often ignores the poor and biased systems, causing ongoing injustice Key Takeaway Actively confront indifference and work toward equity Themes justice racial equity social responsibility Mood determined hopeful Type inspirational call‑to‑action When to use this quote - community organizing - policy advocacy - educational outreach - personal volunteering Key Concepts systemic bias poverty alleviation activism Questions to Reflect On - What concrete actions can you take today to reduce indifference? - How can you inspire others to recognize and address systemic bias? A Different Perspective Changing entrenched attitudes and policies is slow and faces resistance ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bias/) [Burdened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burdened/) [Burdened Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burdened-certain-5680180/) [Burdened Insensitivity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burdened-insensitivity-5680177/) [Burdened Provoked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burdened-provoked-5680178/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Empathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empathy/) [Indifference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indifference/) [Indifference Plight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indifference-plight-5680179/) [Insensitivity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insensitivity/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Legacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legacy/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Plight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plight/) [Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor/) [Poor people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-people/) [Provoked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/provoked/) [Racial bias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racial-bias/) [Saws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saws/) [This world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/this-world/) [Unfairness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unfairness/) [Unreliability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unreliability/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [We've all been acculturated into accepting the inevitability of wrongful convictions, unfair sentences, racial bias, and racial disparities and discrimination against the poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-stevenson/we-ve-all-been-acculturated-into-accepting-the-inevitability-of/) [Bryan Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-stevenson/) > [Embracing a certain quotient of racial bias and discrimination against the poor is an inexorable aspect of supporting capital punishment. This is an immoral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-stevenson/embracing-a-certain-quotient-of-racial-bias-and-discrimination/) [Bryan Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-stevenson/) > [When I began to write our story down, I thought I was writing a record of hate, but somehow the hate has got mislaid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/when-i-began-to-write-our-story-down-i-thought-i-was-writing-a-record/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [As we build systems that are more and more complex, we make more and more subtle but very high-impact mistakes. As we use computers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-blaze/as-we-build-systems-that-are-more-and-more-complex-we-make-more-and/) [Matt Blaze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-blaze/) > [What do you want to avoid? Such an easy answer: sloth and unreliability. If you're unreliable it doesn't matter what your virtues are. You're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/what-do-you-want-to-avoid-such-an-easy-answer-sloth-and-unreliability/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [It is very expensive to achieve high unreliability. It is not uncommon to increase the cost of an item by a factor of ten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-ralph-augustine/it-is-very-expensive-to-achieve-high-unreliability-it-is-not-uncommon/) [Norman Ralph Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-ralph-augustine/) > [The felt unreliability of human experience brought about by the inhuman acceleration of historical change has led every sensitive modern mind to the recording…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/the-felt-unreliability-of-human-experience-brought-about-by-the/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [Hitherto the principle of causality was universally accepted as an indispensable postulate of scientific research, but now we are told by some physicists that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-planck/hitherto-the-principle-of-causality-was-universally-accepted-as-an/) [Max Planck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-planck/) > [I glance back in the mirror to the concrete bridge, the one I've boldly driven straight across without second thought, and I see truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/i-glance-back-in-the-mirror-to-the-concrete-bridge-the-one-i-ve/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“Cars typically become unreliable after a decade of use.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/cars-typically-become-unreliable-after-a-decade-of-use/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [The only thing we can really count on in this uncertain world is human unreliability itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-hardin/the-only-thing-we-can-really-count-on-in-this-uncertain-world-is/) [Garrett Hardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-hardin/) > [Every time I surrender to stress, aren’t I advertising the unreliability of God?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/every-time-i-surrender-to-stress-aren-t-i-advertising-the/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [The general unreliability of all information presents a special problem in war: all action takes place, so to speak, in the twilight, which, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/the-general-unreliability-of-all-information-presents-a-special/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [What children, in fact all of us at any age, find frightening is unreliability and emotional coldness. The idea that you can't affect someone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tilda-swinton/what-children-in-fact-all-of-us-at-any-age-find-frightening-is/) [Tilda Swinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tilda-swinton/) > [Citizendium is based on the failings and unreliability of Wikipedia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-sanger/citizendium-is-based-on-the-failings-and-unreliability-of-wikipedia/) [Larry Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-sanger/) ## More by Bryan Stevenson > [I love museums, and I think they're fantastic, but they don't touch the people who I frequently think need to be touched with at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-stevenson/i-love-museums-and-i-think-they-re-fantastic-but-they-don-t-touch-the/) [Bryan Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-stevenson/) > [I've come to understand and to believe that each of us is more than the worst thing we've ever done. I believe that for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-stevenson/i-ve-come-to-understand-and-to-believe-that-each-of-us-is-more-than/) [Bryan Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-stevenson/) > [I'm persuaded that if most people saw what I see on a regular basis, they would want change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-stevenson/i-m-persuaded-that-if-most-people-saw-what-i-see-on-a-regular-basis/) [Bryan Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-stevenson/) > [When you come to Montgomery, you see fifty-nine monuments and memorials, all about the Civil War, all about Confederate leaders and generals. We have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-stevenson/when-you-come-to-montgomery-you-see-fifty-nine-monuments-and/) [Bryan Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-stevenson/) > [“These aren’t my scars, cuts, and bruises. These are my medals of honor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-stevenson/these-aren-t-my-scars-cuts-and-bruises-these-are-my-medals-of-honor/) [Bryan Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-stevenson/) > [The Bureau of Justice reports that one in three black male babies born this century will go to jail or prison - that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-stevenson/the-bureau-of-justice-reports-that-one-in-three-black-male-babies/) [Bryan Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-stevenson/) > [If you're just the person with power, exercising that power fearfully and angrily, you're going to be an operative of injustice and inequality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-stevenson/if-you-re-just-the-person-with-power-exercising-that-power-fearfully/) [Bryan Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-stevenson/) > [In a landscape littered with all of this imagery about the nobility of the Civil War and the Confederate effort and struggle, the absence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-stevenson/in-a-landscape-littered-with-all-of-this-imagery-about-the-nobility/) [Bryan Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-stevenson/) > [If you love your community, then you need to be insisting on justice in all circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-stevenson/if-you-love-your-community-then-you-need-to-be-insisting-on-justice/) [Bryan Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-stevenson/) > [There was never a time you could get the majority of people in Alabama or Mississippi, or even southern Delaware, to vote to end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-stevenson/there-was-never-a-time-you-could-get-the-majority-of-people-in/) [Bryan Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-stevenson/) > [I talk about my grandmother a lot, because she's an amazing person - not in some dramatic, distinct, unique way, but anybody who is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-stevenson/i-talk-about-my-grandmother-a-lot-because-she-s-an-amazing-person-not/) [Bryan Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-stevenson/) > [You can't understand what happened to Michael Brown in Ferguson, you can't understand what happened to Eric Garner in New York City, without understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-stevenson/you-can-t-understand-what-happened-to-michael-brown-in-ferguson-you/) [Bryan Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-stevenson/) > [I know this might be broadcast broadly. But I'm 52 years old, and I'm going to admit to you that I've never had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-stevenson/i-know-this-might-be-broadcast-broadly-but-i-m-52-years-old-and-i-m/) [Bryan Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-stevenson/) > [Are you the sum total of your worst acts?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-stevenson/are-you-the-sum-total-of-your-worst-acts/) [Bryan Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-stevenson/) > [If we want to be proud of our country, if we want to be proud as Americans, if we want to be proud of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-stevenson/if-we-want-to-be-proud-of-our-country-if-we-want-to-be-proud-as/) [Bryan Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-stevenson/) [Explore all 115 Bryan Stevenson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-stevenson/) ## More Bias quotes > [The print is devised so that I can cut the dresses on the bias, so they work around the body. It's not like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-galliano/the-print-is-devised-so-that-i-can-cut-the-dresses-on-the-bias-so/) [John Galliano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-galliano/) > [“Mental illness is not something you misunderstand in this era. Get educated because bias is no different than racism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/mental-illness-is-not-something-you-misunderstand-in-this-era-get/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > ["Natural" is a very dangerous word to use about sexuality ... Our society's notions of normality are completely fake and meta-trendy, since they rely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-bright/natural-is-a-very-dangerous-word-to-use-about-sexuality-our-society-s/) [Susie Bright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-bright/) > [Science manipulates things and gives up living in them. It makes its own limited models of things; operating upon these indices or variables to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-merleau-ponty/science-manipulates-things-and-gives-up-living-in-them-it-makes-its/) [Maurice Merleau-Ponty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-merleau-ponty/) > [Fortunately for serious minds, a bias recognized is a bias sterilized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-haydon/fortunately-for-serious-minds-a-bias-recognized-is-a-bias-sterilized/) [Benjamin Haydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-haydon/) > [I can say this very clearly: I have come into this Congress with an antiwar bias.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-frankel/i-can-say-this-very-clearly-i-have-come-into-this-congress-with-an/) [Lois Frankel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-frankel/) > [The legal bias for special protection for women has begun to wreak havoc with the Constitution's guarantee of equal protection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/the-legal-bias-for-special-protection-for-women-has-begun-to-wreak/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [That's awesome. There's no bias in the media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-edwards/that-s-awesome-there-s-no-bias-in-the-media/) [Carl Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-edwards/) > [“The most disgusting human trait is bias, because it typically leads to propaganda, hate and violence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lifsey/the-most-disgusting-human-trait-is-bias-because-it-typically-leads-to/) [Lori Lifsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lifsey/) > [I'm speaking out against social media bias.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-loomer/i-m-speaking-out-against-social-media-bias/) [Laura Loomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-loomer/) > [“I pick up a copy of Newsweek on the plane and immediately notice how biased, slanted, and opinionated all the U.S. newsmagazine articles are.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/i-pick-up-a-copy-of-newsweek-on-the-plane-and-immediately-notice-how/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [“Hundreds of studies confirm that human forecasts are flawed and biased. Human decision making is not so great either. Again to take just one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-thaler/hundreds-of-studies-confirm-that-human-forecasts-are-flawed-and/) [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) > [“Many journalists now are no more than channelers and echoers of what George Orwell called the 'official truth'. They simply cipher and transmit lies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/many-journalists-now-are-no-more-than-channelers-and-echoers-of-what/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) > [The stance I took was there is no room for racial bias anywhere in sports. I believe that was basically all I said about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-larkin/the-stance-i-took-was-there-is-no-room-for-racial-bias-anywhere-in/) [Barry Larkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-larkin/) > [First and foremost, if you want to be a good writer, you need to be a good eater. You need to be fearless when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-leong/first-and-foremost-if-you-want-to-be-a-good-writer-you-need-to-be-a/) [Melissa Leong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-leong/) [Browse all 667 Bias quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bias/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I stepped into this world, I saw that we were all burdened by a certain kind of indifference to the plight of poor people. We were burdened by an insensitivity to a legacy of racial bias. 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