--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Because human beings lived then in a…" description: "\"“Because human beings lived then in a world in which physical strength was the most important attribute for survival; the physically stronger person wa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a8/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie-505_feminism_because-human-beings-lived-then-in-a-wor_14202.jpg" --- # Because human beings lived then in a world in which… ![“Because human beings lived then in a world in which physical strength was the most important attribute for survival; the physically stronger person was more likely to lead. And men in general are physically stronger. (There are of course many exceptions.) Today, we live in a vastly diʃerent world…” quote by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a8/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie-505_feminism_because-human-beings-lived-then-in-a-wor_14202.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a8/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie-505_feminism_because-human-beings-lived-then-in-a-wor_14202.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a8/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie-505_feminism_because-human-beings-lived-then-in-a-wor_14202.jpg) > ““Because human beings lived then in a world in which physical strength was the most important attribute for survival; the physically stronger person was more likely to lead. And men in general are physically stronger. (There are of course many exceptions.) Today, we live in a vastly diʃerent world. The person more qualiɹed to lead is not the physically stronger person. It is the more intelligent, the more knowledgeable, the more creative, more innovative. And there are no hormones for those attributes. A man is as likely as a woman to be intelligent, innovative, creative. We have evolved. But our ideas of gender have not evolved very much.”” [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Physical strength once dictated leadership, but modern societies value intelligence, knowledge, creativity, and innovation, which are gender‑neutral traits. **In simple terms:** Leadership now hinges on mental, not physical, attributes. Key Takeaway Leadership criteria have shifted from brawn to brain. Themes gender equality leadership evolution cognitive merit social change bias Mood thoughtful challenging optimistic Type observational analytical inspirational When to use this quote - corporate promotion decisions - political candidacy - team project leadership - educational mentorship - media representation Key Concepts strength vs intellect gender stereotypes evolution of norms meritocracy Practical Applications - design inclusive hiring policies - reframe leadership training Questions to Reflect On - How can organizations assess intellectual merit objectively? - What cultural shifts are needed to fully detach gender from leadership expectations? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Feminist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminist/) [Gender roles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gender-roles/) [Physical strength](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physical-strength/) [Stronger person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stronger-person/) ## Related quotes > [“We have evolved. 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He is a very important player for the character he transmits to the team, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-simeone/diego-costa-always-gives-us-physical-and-moral-strength-he-is-a-very/) [Diego Simeone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-simeone/) > [If we think about physical strength and that women lack in it, we must understand that in a tough situation, mental strength is more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-dev/if-we-think-about-physical-strength-and-that-women-lack-in-it-we-must/) [Rahul Dev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-dev/) > [Banding together and leveraging collective strength is an important part of the American story, and to fight for a livable wage, for adequate safety…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-warnock/banding-together-and-leveraging-collective-strength-is-an-important/) [Raphael Warnock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-warnock/) > [“I have seen many good men give up on perseverance. Life takes a toll. They started off so well in their marriage and fatherhood,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-kolberg/i-have-seen-many-good-men-give-up-on-perseverance-life-takes-a-toll/) Steven Kolberg > [Power and strength are most important for my skating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nyjah-huston/power-and-strength-are-most-important-for-my-skating/) [Nyjah Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nyjah-huston/) > [You can have talent and strength, but the most important is determination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyoto-machida/you-can-have-talent-and-strength-but-the-most-important-is/) [Lyoto Machida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyoto-machida/) > [Physical strength is the most important thing in life. This is true whether we want it to be or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rippetoe/physical-strength-is-the-most-important-thing-in-life-this-is-true/) [Mark Rippetoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rippetoe/) > [The reserve strength is very important in assessing a team's ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-lara/the-reserve-strength-is-very-important-in-assessing-a-team-s-ability/) [Brian Lara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-lara/) > [Building strength is very important, but there are many ways to do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-arrieta/building-strength-is-very-important-but-there-are-many-ways-to-do-that/) [Jake Arrieta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-arrieta/) > [If you train 12 months a year, you won't have any strength for the important games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-ovechkin/if-you-train-12-months-a-year-you-won-t-have-any-strength-for-the/) [Alexander Ovechkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-ovechkin/) > [Inner strength is very important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geeta-phogat/inner-strength-is-very-important/) [Geeta Phogat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geeta-phogat/) > [Taller people tend to earn more on average, although the effect is modest. This is clearly true in occupations where strength is important but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-steckel/taller-people-tend-to-earn-more-on-average-although-the-effect-is/) [Richard H. Steckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-steckel/) > [You have to learn the opponent psychologically inside out and mental strength is one of the important makers. You're either gonna break it or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wladimir-klitschko/you-have-to-learn-the-opponent-psychologically-inside-out-and-mental/) [Wladimir Klitschko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wladimir-klitschko/) ## More by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie > [“What I’ve noticed being here is that many English people are in awe of America but also deeply resent it,” Obinze added. “Perfectly true,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/what-i-ve-noticed-being-here-is-that-many-english-people-are-in-awe/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [If you followed the media you'd think that everybody in Africa was starving to death, and that's not the case; so it's important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/if-you-followed-the-media-you-d-think-that-everybody-in-africa-was/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [To return to the books of my childhood is to yield to the strain of nostalgia that is curious about the self I once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/to-return-to-the-books-of-my-childhood-is-to-yield-to-the-strain-of/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [I think white women need to wake up and say, 'Not all women are white,' three times in front of the mirror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/i-think-white-women-need-to-wake-up-and-say-not-all-women-are-white/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [We teach girls that they cannot be sexual beings in the way that boys are. 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An unease crept up on Ifemelu. She was comfortable here, and she wished she were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/they-have-the-kinds-of-things-we-can-eat-an-unease-crept-up-on/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [If I were not African, I wonder whether it would be clear to me that Africa is a place where the people do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/if-i-were-not-african-i-wonder-whether-it-would-be-clear-to-me-that/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [“But race is not biology; race is sociology. Race is not genotype; race is phenotype. Race matters because of racism. And racism is absurd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/but-race-is-not-biology-race-is-sociology-race-is-not-genotype-race/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [I like the U.S. and feel gratitude towards it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/i-like-the-u-s-and-feel-gratitude-towards-it/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [I’m very feminist in the way I look at the world, and that worldview must somehow be part of my work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/i-m-very-feminist-in-the-way-i-look-at-the-world-and-that-worldview/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [Perhaps it is time to debate culture. 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It was like somebody sprinkling pepper on his wound: Thousands of Biafrans were dead, and this man wanted to know if there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/richard-exhaled-it-was-like-somebody-sprinkling-pepper-on-his-wound/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) [Explore all 491 Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) ## More Feminism quotes > [“But benevolent patriarchy is still patriarchy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/but-benevolent-patriarchy-is-still-patriarchy/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. 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The popular notion is that women who get ahead must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bailey-poland/this-story-is-not-at-all-an-uncommon-one-in-tech-circles-including/) [Bailey Poland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bailey-poland/) > [Without meaning to sound anti-men, ghastly women are the closest you get to a male role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-burke/without-meaning-to-sound-anti-men-ghastly-women-are-the-closest-you/) [Kathy Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-burke/) > [If the women in the factories stopped work for twenty minutes, the Allies would lose the war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-joffre/if-the-women-in-the-factories-stopped-work-for-twenty-minutes-the/) Joseph Joffre > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [“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/) > [“there was something of the women molded into the great, stalwart frame of Hollingsworth; nor was he ashamed of it; as men often are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/there-was-something-of-the-women-molded-into-the-great-stalwart-frame/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [Women rule the world. 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Why? The “integrated” agency will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoram-wind/women-will-be-at-least-50-percent-of-the-communications-community/) Yoram Wind [Browse all 15,705 Feminism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Because human beings lived then in a world in which physical strength was the most important attribute for survival; the physically stronger person was more likely to lead. And men in general are physically stronger. (There are of course many exceptions.) Today, we live in a vastly diʃerent world. The person more qualiɹed to lead is not the physically stronger person. It is the more intelligent, the more knowledgeable, the more creative, more innovative. And there are no hormones for those attributes. A man is as likely as a woman to be intelligent, innovative, creative. We have evolved. 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