--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What people haven't quite grasped yet is…" description: "\"What people haven't quite grasped yet is that the rich are transforming cities all across the world.\" — Cleve Jones" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fa/cleve-jones-12503_cities_what-people-haven-t-quite-grasped-yet-is_333153.png" --- # What people haven't quite grasped yet is that the rich are… ![“What people haven't quite grasped yet is that the rich are transforming cities all across the world.” quote by Cleve Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fa/cleve-jones-12503_cities_what-people-haven-t-quite-grasped-yet-is_333153.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fa/cleve-jones-12503_cities_what-people-haven-t-quite-grasped-yet-is_333153.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fa/cleve-jones-12503_cities_what-people-haven-t-quite-grasped-yet-is_333153.png) > “What people haven't quite grasped yet is that the rich are transforming cities all across the world.” [Cleve Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleve-jones/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The wealthy are reshaping cities, influencing housing, services, and public spaces to serve their interests. **In simple terms:** Rich influence city development. Key Takeaway Recognize and counter elite-driven urban change. Themes urban development wealth gentrification power dynamics Mood critical hopeful Type social activist When to use this quote - city planning - community organizing - housing advocacy - local elections Key Concepts Economic inequality housing policy public space design Questions to Reflect On - How does wealth affect your neighborhood? - What can communities do to retain affordable spaces? A Different Perspective Change requires collective political action, not just awareness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Transforming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transforming/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [London has always been open to trade, people, ideas. We have to keep that. I want to compete not just with New York, Paris,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadiq-khan/london-has-always-been-open-to-trade-people-ideas-we-have-to-keep/) [Sadiq Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadiq-khan/) > [Barcelona is one of the best cities in the world. I love it there. I love Big Sur. It's stunning and you get a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-markle/barcelona-is-one-of-the-best-cities-in-the-world-i-love-it-there-i/) [Meghan Markle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-markle/) > [Rome is one of my favourite cities in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-heatherton/rome-is-one-of-my-favourite-cities-in-the-world/) [Erin Heatherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-heatherton/) > [I love New York, Chicago, London, St. Bart's and Italy but one of my fave cities in the whole world is San Francisco. Why?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-perry/i-love-new-york-chicago-london-st-bart-s-and-italy-but-one-of-my-fave/) [Steve Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-perry/) > [“I found Baghdad, like most big cities in the world: big, exciting, interesting, rich, poor, hot, cold, restless, sleepless, and cruel at one and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-yako/i-found-baghdad-like-most-big-cities-in-the-world-big-exciting/) [Louis Yako](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-yako/) > [There are so many lovely cities around the U.S., around the world, that it's almost impossible to pick one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-hanson/there-are-so-many-lovely-cities-around-the-u-s-around-the-world-that/) [Isaac Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-hanson/) > [Istanbul is one of the most incredible cities in the world, and a must - see as much as London, Paris, or New York.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-chalayan/istanbul-is-one-of-the-most-incredible-cities-in-the-world-and-a-must/) [Hussein Chalayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-chalayan/) > [London is one of the most exciting cities in the world, with a melting pot of cultures and diversity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orlando-bloom/london-is-one-of-the-most-exciting-cities-in-the-world-with-a-melting/) [Orlando Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orlando-bloom/) > [Berlin is one of my favorite cities in the world. I feel like the energy is very youthful. It has such an important history,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zuckerberg/berlin-is-one-of-my-favorite-cities-in-the-world-i-feel-like-the/) [Mark Zuckerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zuckerberg/) > [Cities all over the world are getting bigger as more and more people move from rural to urban sites, but that has created enormous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dundes/cities-all-over-the-world-are-getting-bigger-as-more-and-more-people/) [Alan Dundes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dundes/) > [I've spent a lot of time in Montreal, it's one of my favorite cities in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonobo/i-ve-spent-a-lot-of-time-in-montreal-it-s-one-of-my-favorite-cities/) [Bonobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonobo/) > [Right after 9/11 it looked as if the idea of a huge skyscraper might be considered obsolete. It came back, but I think that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goldberger/right-after-9-11-it-looked-as-if-the-idea-of-a-huge-skyscraper-might/) [Paul Goldberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goldberger/) > [Because there are a lot of big cities in the world, people who live in cities have become more isolated than ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toyo-ito/because-there-are-a-lot-of-big-cities-in-the-world-people-who-live-in/) [Toyo Ito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toyo-ito/) > [New York is one of the greatest cities in the world. It is a fitting host to its many international visitors, who can come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/new-york-is-one-of-the-greatest-cities-in-the-world-it-is-a-fitting/) [Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) > [The cities of the world are concentric, isomorphic, synchronic. Only one exists and you are always in the same one. It's the effect of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baudrillard/the-cities-of-the-world-are-concentric-isomorphic-synchronic-only-one/) [Jean Baudrillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baudrillard/) ## More by Cleve Jones > [If I had to say what my one greatest achievement is, it's that I lasted, and I'm still happy. I hope that comes through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleve-jones/if-i-had-to-say-what-my-one-greatest-achievement-is-it-s-that-i/) [Cleve Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleve-jones/) > [If you tell me I can't understand you because of my color or you can't understand me because of your sexual orientation or she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleve-jones/if-you-tell-me-i-can-t-understand-you-because-of-my-color-or-you-can/) [Cleve Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleve-jones/) > [Everybody will always find some way of diminishing your work, but it's all a lie!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleve-jones/everybody-will-always-find-some-way-of-diminishing-your-work-but-it-s/) [Cleve Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleve-jones/) > [During those days when you're exhausted and during those days when you're frustrated, during those days when you're being attacked by your own people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleve-jones/during-those-days-when-you-re-exhausted-and-during-those-days-when/) [Cleve Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleve-jones/) > [Any social movement that seeks to benefit only its own members I think is a shallow movement and probably doomed to failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleve-jones/any-social-movement-that-seeks-to-benefit-only-its-own-members-i/) [Cleve Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleve-jones/) > [I have no personal desire to get married whatsoever and I certainly have no desire to be a soldier. I'm old school, I'm from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleve-jones/i-have-no-personal-desire-to-get-married-whatsoever-and-i-certainly/) [Cleve Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleve-jones/) > [I saw great hope in the Sanders campaign - a flawed candidate, not perfect, but pretty damn close. Millions of young people were inspired…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleve-jones/i-saw-great-hope-in-the-sanders-campaign-a-flawed-candidate-not/) [Cleve Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleve-jones/) > [The sense of urgency has almost completely vanished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleve-jones/the-sense-of-urgency-has-almost-completely-vanished/) [Cleve Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleve-jones/) > [The joy with which we denigrate each others' efforts, I hate that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleve-jones/the-joy-with-which-we-denigrate-each-others-efforts-i-hate-that/) [Cleve Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleve-jones/) > [ If we \[gays\] want to be equal under the law, we must now - as the great heroes of the Civil Rights movement of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleve-jones/if-we-gays-want-to-be-equal-under-the-law-we-must-now-as-the-great/) [Cleve Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleve-jones/) > [I don't have any hobbies! I don't golf, I can't imagine what I would do if I retired other than get fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleve-jones/i-don-t-have-any-hobbies-i-don-t-golf-i-can-t-imagine-what-i-would-do/) [Cleve Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleve-jones/) > [Hello! The world is a mess!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleve-jones/hello-the-world-is-a-mess/) [Cleve Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleve-jones/) > [Dealing with Hollywood and commercial entertainment, you always have to worry that the political message is going to be skewed or obscured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleve-jones/dealing-with-hollywood-and-commercial-entertainment-you-always-have/) [Cleve Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleve-jones/) > [I go back to the parallels with 1963, 1964 when white America really became aware of the brutality of segregation, the cruelty of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleve-jones/i-go-back-to-the-parallels-with-1963-1964-when-white-america-really/) [Cleve Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleve-jones/) > [The penalties for homosexual conduct were - would vary from state to state, but they were - it was a felony in most states…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleve-jones/the-penalties-for-homosexual-conduct-were-would-vary-from-state-to/) [Cleve Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleve-jones/) [Explore all 54 Cleve Jones quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleve-jones/) ## More Cities quotes > [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [Surely, if Mother Nature had been consulted, she would never have consented to building a city in New Orleans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-zuckerman/surely-if-mother-nature-had-been-consulted-she-would-never-have/) [Mortimer Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-zuckerman/) > [Cities are 2% of the earth's crust, but they are 50% of the world's population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlo-ratti/cities-are-2-of-the-earth-s-crust-but-they-are-50-of-the-world-s/) [Carlo Ratti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlo-ratti/) > [A man could be a lover and defender of the wilderness without ever in his lifetime leaving the boundaries of asphalt, powerlines, and right-angled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/a-man-could-be-a-lover-and-defender-of-the-wilderness-without-ever-in/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [All Germany was in turmoil. Revolutionaries seized power in the cities of Munich, Hanover and Cologne. One regional German government after another was toppled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cross-giblin/all-germany-was-in-turmoil-revolutionaries-seized-power-in-the-cities/) James Cross Giblin > [Nice is a city of ghosts and specters, but I hope not to become one of them right away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-modiano/nice-is-a-city-of-ghosts-and-specters-but-i-hope-not-to-become-one-of/) [Patrick Modiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-modiano/) > [I know of not one Republican candidate that would not appear publicly with Mitt Romney and I know many Democrats that don't even want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/i-know-of-not-one-republican-candidate-that-would-not-appear-publicly/) [Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/) > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [We will neglect our cities to our peril, for in neglecting them we neglect the nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/we-will-neglect-our-cities-to-our-peril-for-in-neglecting-them-we/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [I didn't know the city at all, but I was so happy to be in New York I cried. I was so excited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-didn-t-know-the-city-at-all-but-i-was-so-happy-to-be-in-new-york-i/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [Outside of Paris, there is no hope for the cultured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/outside-of-paris-there-is-no-hope-for-the-cultured/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [Dawn's faint breath breathes with your mouth at the ends of empty streets. Gray light your eyes, sweet drops of dawn on dark hills.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/dawn-s-faint-breath-breathes-with-your-mouth-at-the-ends-of-empty/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [Vienna is a handsome, lively city, and pleases me exceedingly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-chopin/vienna-is-a-handsome-lively-city-and-pleases-me-exceedingly/) [Frederic Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-chopin/) > [“We have grace of strength to work, to clear our cities of any dirt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-have-grace-of-strength-to-work-to-clear-our-cities-of-any-dirt/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I was too tired to think. I merely felt the town as a unique unreality. What was it? I knew -- the moon's picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-was-too-tired-to-think-i-merely-felt-the-town-as-a-unique-unreality/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 7,153 Cities quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What people haven't quite grasped yet is that the rich are transforming cities all across the world.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Cleve Jones" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleve-jones/what-people-haven-t-quite-grasped-yet-is-that-the-rich-are/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cities" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleve-jones/what-people-haven-t-quite-grasped-yet-is-that-the-rich-are/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fa/cleve-jones-12503_cities_what-people-haven-t-quite-grasped-yet-is_333153.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fa/cleve-jones-12503_cities_what-people-haven-t-quite-grasped-yet-is_333153.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fa/cleve-jones-12503_cities_what-people-haven-t-quite-grasped-yet-is_333153.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What people haven't quite grasped yet is that the rich are transforming cities all across the world.” — Cleve Jones", "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": "Cleve Jones", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleve-jones/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What people haven't quite grasped yet...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleve-jones/what-people-haven-t-quite-grasped-yet-is-that-the-rich-are/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleve-jones/what-people-haven-t-quite-grasped-yet-is-that-the-rich-are/#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 } } ] } ```