--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am not so naive as to think everyone…" description: "\"I am not so naive as to think everyone will change. There are certainly those who will go to their graves as hateful, violent racists.\" — Daryl Davis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/daryl-davis-7572_change_i-am-not-so-naive-as-to-think-everyone-w_1243524.jpg" --- # I am not so naive as to think everyone will change. There… ![“I am not so naive as to think everyone will change. There are certainly those who will go to their graves as hateful, violent racists.” quote by Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/daryl-davis-7572_change_i-am-not-so-naive-as-to-think-everyone-w_1243524.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/daryl-davis-7572_change_i-am-not-so-naive-as-to-think-everyone-w_1243524.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/daryl-davis-7572_change_i-am-not-so-naive-as-to-think-everyone-w_1243524.jpg) > “I am not so naive as to think everyone will change. There are certainly those who will go to their graves as hateful, violent racists.” [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recognizes that some people are unlikely to change their hateful beliefs, even over a lifetime. **In simple terms:** Not everyone will change; some stay hateful forever. Key Takeaway Accept limits of influence and focus on those open to change. Themes realism human nature social change Mood cautious reflective Type analytical realistic When to use this quote - activism - community outreach - education programs - personal safety Key Concepts psychology radicalization entrenchment Questions to Reflect On - How do you decide when to engage or disengage? - What strategies work for those willing to change? A Different Perspective Change is possible for many, but not all; be strategic about where to invest effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change Certainly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-certainly-2887330/) [Go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/go/) [I am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-am/) [Naive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/naive/) [Racists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racists/) [Think Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-change/) [Violent Racists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violent-racists-3890580/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/) ## Related quotes > [I don't believe in regime change, certainly not in the Middle East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naftali-bennett/i-don-t-believe-in-regime-change-certainly-not-in-the-middle-east/) [Naftali Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naftali-bennett/) > [The truth was, I wasn't sure. But I wanted to keep believing people could change, and it was certainly easier to do so when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/the-truth-was-i-wasn-t-sure-but-i-wanted-to-keep-believing-people/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Carmen didn't like change, and she certainly didn't like endings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/carmen-didn-t-like-change-and-she-certainly-didn-t-like-endings/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [“There is very little you can do to change others but you can certainly change your life in the process.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-pina/there-is-very-little-you-can-do-to-change-others-but-you-can/) [Timothy Pina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-pina/) > [I don't believe that Donald Trump is a racist, per se. But some of the things that he does, some of the rhetoric that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/i-don-t-believe-that-donald-trump-is-a-racist-per-se-but-some-of-the/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [Every racist that I know - and I know a lot of racists - every racist that I know voted for Donald Trump.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/every-racist-that-i-know-and-i-know-a-lot-of-racists-every-racist/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [Minimum-wage laws are one of the most powerful tools in the arsenal of racists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/minimum-wage-laws-are-one-of-the-most-powerful-tools-in-the-arsenal/) [Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/) > [Let me just be candid: My party is full of racists. And the real reason a considerable portion of my party wants President Obama…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/let-me-just-be-candid-my-party-is-full-of-racists-and-the-real-reason/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Old-fashioned anti-immigrant prejudice always brings out some old-fashioned racists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/old-fashioned-anti-immigrant-prejudice-always-brings-out-some-old/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [I am sure that Spain is not a racist country, but there are many racists and many of them are in the stadiums.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinicius-junior/i-am-sure-that-spain-is-not-a-racist-country-but-there-are-many/) [Vinicius Junior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinicius-junior/) > [“As the polls began closing in the East, with states like New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Virginia going for Barack Obama, it was quickly becoming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/as-the-polls-began-closing-in-the-east-with-states-like-new-hampshire/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [I never apologize for the truth. And the truth here is that racists come in many different colors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinky-friedman/i-never-apologize-for-the-truth-and-the-truth-here-is-that-racists/) [Kinky Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinky-friedman/) > [People who oppose Obama are said to be racists - so I guess I'm a racist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-cain/people-who-oppose-obama-are-said-to-be-racists-so-i-guess-i-m-a-racist/) [Herman Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-cain/) > [Remember no matter what color your skin is if you wear a law enforcement badge, you are automatically racists according to the deranged lawless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-taylor-greene/remember-no-matter-what-color-your-skin-is-if-you-wear-a-law/) [Marjorie Taylor Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-taylor-greene/) > [I'll tell you that the dog whistle politics is badly missing the mark. Because, you know, as I've been speaking about it, sure, I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naheed-nenshi/i-ll-tell-you-that-the-dog-whistle-politics-is-badly-missing-the-mark/) [Naheed Nenshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naheed-nenshi/) ## More by Daryl Davis > [Racism is a cancer. You cannot ignore it and it'll go away. If you ignore cancer, it simply metastasizes and consumes the whole body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/racism-is-a-cancer-you-cannot-ignore-it-and-it-ll-go-away-if-you/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [They've changed the name from white supremacy to white separatists, to white nationalists, to alt-right. It's the same thing. A rose by any other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/they-ve-changed-the-name-from-white-supremacy-to-white-separatists-to/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [I have been attacked and mistreated for my skin colour since I was a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/i-have-been-attacked-and-mistreated-for-my-skin-colour-since-i-was-a/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [If you have an adversary, an opponent with an opposing point of view, give that person a platform, regardless of how extreme it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/if-you-have-an-adversary-an-opponent-with-an-opposing-point-of-view/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [At the end, ignorance is the source of biases. If we cure that, there's nothing to fear and hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/at-the-end-ignorance-is-the-source-of-biases-if-we-cure-that-there-s/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [There's a difference between being ignorant and being stupid... For me, an ignorant person is someone who makes the wrong decision or a bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/there-s-a-difference-between-being-ignorant-and-being-stupid-for-me/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [Find someone who disagrees and invite them to your table.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/find-someone-who-disagrees-and-invite-them-to-your-table/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [Our society can only become one of two things, it can be become what we let it become or it can become what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/our-society-can-only-become-one-of-two-things-it-can-be-become-what/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [If you were to talk to somebody from Georgia you would understand what he's saying, he wouldn't sound like your next-door neighbor in Montana,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/if-you-were-to-talk-to-somebody-from-georgia-you-would-understand/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [Every racist that I know - and I know a lot of racists - every racist that I know voted for Donald Trump.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/every-racist-that-i-know-and-i-know-a-lot-of-racists-every-racist/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [It was incomprehensible to me that someone who had never seen me before, someone who knew absolutely nothing about me, would want to inflict…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/it-was-incomprehensible-to-me-that-someone-who-had-never-seen-me/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [The most important thing I learned is that when you are actively learning about someone else you are passively teaching them about yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/the-most-important-thing-i-learned-is-that-when-you-are-actively/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [You're not going to beat the meanness out of a mean dog. You start beating a mean dog, it's gonna become more mean. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/you-re-not-going-to-beat-the-meanness-out-of-a-mean-dog-you-start/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [He spoke nine languages. You know some people can just pick up an instrument and play. My father was like that with languages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/he-spoke-nine-languages-you-know-some-people-can-just-pick-up-an/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [Music absolutely played a massive role in bridging many gaps in the racial divides I would encounter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/music-absolutely-played-a-massive-role-in-bridging-many-gaps-in-the/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) [Explore all 90 Daryl Davis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) [Phil Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hogan/) > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I am not so naive as to think everyone will change. There are certainly those who will go to their graves as hateful, violent racists.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Daryl Davis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/i-am-not-so-naive-as-to-think-everyone-will-change-there-are/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/i-am-not-so-naive-as-to-think-everyone-will-change-there-are/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/daryl-davis-7572_change_i-am-not-so-naive-as-to-think-everyone-w_1243524.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/daryl-davis-7572_change_i-am-not-so-naive-as-to-think-everyone-w_1243524.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/daryl-davis-7572_change_i-am-not-so-naive-as-to-think-everyone-w_1243524.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I am not so naive as to think everyone will change. There are certainly those who will go to their graves as…” — Daryl Davis", "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": "Daryl Davis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I am not so naive as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/i-am-not-so-naive-as-to-think-everyone-will-change-there-are/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/i-am-not-so-naive-as-to-think-everyone-will-change-there-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 } } ] } ```