--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I also often hear people say that the…" description: "\"I also often hear people say that the deck is stacked against them because of racism, sexism, or other oppressive 'isms.' But once you let go of the bl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f97/chris-gardner-3822_blame_i-also-often-hear-people-say-that-the-de_597041.png" --- # I also often hear people say that the deck is stacked… ![“I also often hear people say that the deck is stacked against them because of racism, sexism, or other oppressive 'isms.' But once you let go of the blame and excuses, you'll see that you can alter your position on your own.” quote by Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f97/chris-gardner-3822_blame_i-also-often-hear-people-say-that-the-de_597041.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f97/chris-gardner-3822_blame_i-also-often-hear-people-say-that-the-de_597041.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f97/chris-gardner-3822_blame_i-also-often-hear-people-say-that-the-de_597041.png) > “I also often hear people say that the deck is stacked against them because of racism, sexism, or other oppressive 'isms.' But once you let go of the blame and excuses, you'll see that you can alter your position on your own.” [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Blaming systemic bias limits personal agency; releasing blame reveals personal power to change one's situation. **In simple terms:** Stop blaming others to empower yourself. Key Takeaway Take responsibility and act to improve your circumstances. Themes personal responsibility empowerment mindset social issues self‑efficacy Mood reflective hopeful realistic Type inspirational self‑help When to use this quote - career advancement - education pursuits - financial planning - personal relationships Key Concepts psychology social dynamics self‑help Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take to improve your situation? - How do you address systemic obstacles while acting personally? A Different Perspective Systemic barriers still affect outcomes; personal change has limits. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Excuses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excuses/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Sexism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sexism/) ## Related quotes > [A central tenet of modern feminist thought has been the assertion that "all women are oppressed." This assertion implies that women share a common…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/a-central-tenet-of-modern-feminist-thought-has-been-the-assertion/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [I saw America as a land of opportunity, not a bastion of racism or sexism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-boot/i-saw-america-as-a-land-of-opportunity-not-a-bastion-of-racism-or/) [Max Boot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-boot/) > [I was raised to believe that excellence is the best deterrent to racism or sexism. And that's how I operate my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-was-raised-to-believe-that-excellence-is-the-best-deterrent-to/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [My generation of Americans was the first to really care about racism and sexism, not to mention the I Ching, plus, of course, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/my-generation-of-americans-was-the-first-to-really-care-about-racism/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Comedy can always be taken the wrong way. If I do a bit that is meant to diffuse racism or sexism, Im not going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-stanhope/comedy-can-always-be-taken-the-wrong-way-if-i-do-a-bit-that-is-meant/) [Doug Stanhope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-stanhope/) > [Ageism is a variation of racism or sexism, all the other isms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-hefner/ageism-is-a-variation-of-racism-or-sexism-all-the-other-isms/) [Hugh Hefner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-hefner/) > [We live in a world where sports have the potential to bridge the gap between racism, sexism and discrimination. The 2012 Olympic Games was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-joyner-kersee/we-live-in-a-world-where-sports-have-the-potential-to-bridge-the-gap/) [Jackie Joyner-Kersee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-joyner-kersee/) > [I've had to deal with racism, sexism, rumors, malice, a little bit of everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-yee/i-ve-had-to-deal-with-racism-sexism-rumors-malice-a-little-bit-of/) [Angela Yee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-yee/) > [Throughout college and law school, as well as in my career as a lawyer and police reform advocate, I've faced various toxic combinations of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lightfoot/throughout-college-and-law-school-as-well-as-in-my-career-as-a-lawyer/) [Lori Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lightfoot/) > [Of course, intersectionality theory is a confused muddle. It fights racism and sexism by classifying everyone according to race and sex. It views race…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-hoff-sommers/of-course-intersectionality-theory-is-a-confused-muddle-it-fights/) [Christina Hoff Sommers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-hoff-sommers/) > [Americans have fought their way back from tough economic times, but the deck is still stacked in favor of those at the top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/americans-have-fought-their-way-back-from-tough-economic-times-but/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [“the deck is stacked heavily against you, and you have no idea what you are up against.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-duane/the-deck-is-stacked-heavily-against-you-and-you-have-no-idea-what-you/) [James Duane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-duane/) > [The deck has always been stacked against me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stormy-daniels/the-deck-has-always-been-stacked-against-me/) [Stormy Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stormy-daniels/) > [The deck is still stacked in favor of those already at the top. And there's something wrong with that. There's something wrong when CEOs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/the-deck-is-still-stacked-in-favor-of-those-already-at-the-top-and/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [The deck is stacked against Obama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-fournier/the-deck-is-stacked-against-obama/) [Ron Fournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-fournier/) ## More by Chris Gardner > [Be bold enough to find the one thing that you are passionate about. It might not be what you were trained to do. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/be-bold-enough-to-find-the-one-thing-that-you-are-passionate-about-it/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [Others may question your credentials, your papers, your degrees. Others may look for all kinds of ways to diminish your worth. But what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/others-may-question-your-credentials-your-papers-your-degrees-others/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [Walk that walk and go forward all the time. Don't just talk that talk, walk it and go forward. Also, the walk didn't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/walk-that-walk-and-go-forward-all-the-time-don-t-just-talk-that-talk/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [Salespeople are the most important people in any organization. Until a salesperson gets an order, nobody in the company has a job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/salespeople-are-the-most-important-people-in-any-organization-until-a/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [You're never too old to do something new.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/you-re-never-too-old-to-do-something-new/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [It's ok to FAIL it's not ok to Quit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/it-s-ok-to-fail-it-s-not-ok-to-quit/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [“It’s okay to fail, it’s not okay to quit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/it-s-okay-to-fail-it-s-not-okay-to-quit/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [I have one of those old-fashioned mothers who told me every single day, 'Son, you can do or be anything that you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/i-have-one-of-those-old-fashioned-mothers-who-told-me-every-single/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [You know how mountains get moved? Everyone who can move a couple, move a couple. Those who can move rocks, move rocks. Those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/you-know-how-mountains-get-moved-everyone-who-can-move-a-couple-move/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [I had spent years in the United States military. Specifically in the U.S. Navy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/i-had-spent-years-in-the-united-states-military-specifically-in-the-u/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [I've never been big on sports coats and pants. I'm a suit guy. It makes it clear who's in charge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/i-ve-never-been-big-on-sports-coats-and-pants-i-m-a-suit-guy-it-makes/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [Still a dreamer, yet more of a realist than ever before, I knew this was my time to sail. On the horizon I saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/still-a-dreamer-yet-more-of-a-realist-than-ever-before-i-knew-this/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [Nine times out of 10, extenuating circumstances aside, I believe that people are where they are by some kind of choice on their part.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/nine-times-out-of-10-extenuating-circumstances-aside-i-believe-that/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [(The movie) is the story of my life, but it's not about me. It's about anybody who ever dreamed big and had someone tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/the-movie-is-the-story-of-my-life-but-it-s-not-about-me-it-s-about/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [I had never gone to college. I was not from a politically connected family. I had no money of my own. Who is going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/i-had-never-gone-to-college-i-was-not-from-a-politically-connected/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) [Explore all 120 Chris Gardner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) ## More Blame quotes > [“I have to blame myself for not finding any way of reaching him, but I can't feel that either Ruth or I had anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-have-to-blame-myself-for-not-finding-any-way-of-reaching-him-but-i/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [Me mum used to always have the radio on - even now she has it on in every room. Me girlfriend sort of blames…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/me-mum-used-to-always-have-the-radio-on-even-now-she-has-it-on-in/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [I like to praise and reward loudly, to blame quietly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-the-great/i-like-to-praise-and-reward-loudly-to-blame-quietly/) [Catherine the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-the-great/) > [Some of the things that I said I hated to say, but blame yourself mother fucker you made it this way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jedi-mind-tricks/some-of-the-things-that-i-said-i-hated-to-say-but-blame-yourself/) [Jedi Mind Tricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jedi-mind-tricks/) > [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“In places where government priorities and market imperatives create a world so capricious that to help a neighbor is to risk your ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-boo/in-places-where-government-priorities-and-market-imperatives-create-a/) [Katherine Boo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-boo/) > [“Stop Blaming Others For Your Own Actions”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-g-roldan/stop-blaming-others-for-your-own-actions/) [Alexis G. Roldan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-g-roldan/) > [We know from this book entitled... What is it? Surrendered? Succumbed? I can never remember the title perform. And we learn from this book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-know-from-this-book-entitled-what-is-it-surrendered-succumbed-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't blame anyone .. I did this to myself .. It's my fault .. Everything is my FAULT ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nurnizz95/i-don-t-blame-anyone-i-did-this-to-myself-it-s-my-fault-everything-is/) Nurnizz95 > [“They would congratulate themselves every morning on keeping their integrity, and blame themselves each night for that missed opportunity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/they-would-congratulate-themselves-every-morning-on-keeping-their/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I try to live my life where I end up at a point where I have no regrets. So I try to choose the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-aronofsky/i-try-to-live-my-life-where-i-end-up-at-a-point-where-i-have-no/) [Darren Aronofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-aronofsky/) > [How come you don't feel that magic in the air? I guess I knew you'll never be there. I guess I knew you never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-come-you-don-t-feel-that-magic-in-the-air-i-guess-i-knew-you-ll/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am down mentally. I can't understand how it happened and who is to blame? I don't know why the ground was rolled before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yeasin-khan/i-am-down-mentally-i-can-t-understand-how-it-happened-and-who-is-to/) Yeasin Khan > [A refusal to admit one's mistake & not accepting responsibility for that mistake by blaming everyone else, is d beginning of one's decline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-refusal-to-admit-one-s-mistake-not-accepting-responsibility-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Listen, the guy was not created by coverage from MSNBC and CNN. If you want to blame us for making Donald Trump president because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-tur/listen-the-guy-was-not-created-by-coverage-from-msnbc-and-cnn-if-you/) [Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/) Browse all 3,779 Blame quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I also often hear people say that the deck is stacked against them because of racism, sexism, or other oppressive 'isms.' 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