---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are no free and democratic and…"
description: "\"There are no free and democratic and wealthy countries in the world that have US rate of gun violence. We have to worry about loners and alienated peop..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb1/david-brooks-644_amendment_there-are-no-free-and-democratic-and-wea_333847.jpg"
---

#  There are no free and democratic and wealthy countries in…

![“There are no free and democratic and wealthy countries in the world that have US rate of gun violence. We have to worry about loners and alienated people. We have to do better on mental health.” quote by David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb1/david-brooks-644_amendment_there-are-no-free-and-democratic-and-wea_333847.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb1/david-brooks-644_amendment_there-are-no-free-and-democratic-and-wea_333847.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb1/david-brooks-644_amendment_there-are-no-free-and-democratic-and-wea_333847.jpg)

> “There are no free and democratic and wealthy countries in the world that have US rate of gun violence. We have to worry about loners and alienated people. We have to do better on mental health.”

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The United States has high gun violence despite being a wealthy democracy; mental health and social isolation are key factors to address.

**In simple terms:** US gun violence is high; mental health matters.

Key Takeaway

Improve mental health services and community support.

Themes

gun violence mental health social isolation policy wealthy democracies

Mood

concerned urgent reflective

Type

analytical policy‑oriented

When to use this quote

- community health programs
- school counseling
- public awareness campaigns
- legislative action
- support for at‑risk individuals

Key Concepts

public health social cohesion policy reform

Questions to Reflect On

- How can society better identify and support isolated individuals?
- What policies could reduce gun violence beyond mental health?

A Different Perspective

Addressing mental health alone may not fully reduce violence without broader cultural change.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Amendment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amendment/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun/) [Gun violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun-violence/) [Loner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loner/) [Mental health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-health/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry/)

## Related quotes

> [There has been a noticeable decline in the labor factor in all wealthy countries in the past 20 years. The rich are getting richer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-rogoff/there-has-been-a-noticeable-decline-in-the-labor-factor-in-all/)

[Kenneth Rogoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-rogoff/)

> [It would be very interesting to make a survey around the world, from wealthy countries to the most advanced countries to see what influence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilio-pucci/it-would-be-very-interesting-to-make-a-survey-around-the-world-from/)

[Emilio Pucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilio-pucci/)

> [Beyond the borders of wealthy countries like the United States, in developing countries where most people in the world live, the impacts of climate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-goodman/beyond-the-borders-of-wealthy-countries-like-the-united-states-in/)

[Amy Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-goodman/)

> [“But the better answer is that Hotchkiss has simply fallen into the trap that wealthy people and wealthy institutions and wealthy countries—all Goliaths—too often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/but-the-better-answer-is-that-hotchkiss-has-simply-fallen-into-the/)

[Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/)

> [“It is often a puzzle for foreigners why the United States has such a dismal performance when it comes to murder, guns, and mental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/it-is-often-a-puzzle-for-foreigners-why-the-united-states-has-such-a/)

[Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/)

> [“Precisely when we should be shouldering the historic task of investing this rich, safe, and healthy existence with meaning, we’ve buried utopia instead. There’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/precisely-when-we-should-be-shouldering-the-historic-task-of/)

[Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/)

> [I am an ardent believer in a free, democratic and inclusive society, and the robust exchange of views that is essential to tolerance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-miller/i-am-an-ardent-believer-in-a-free-democratic-and-inclusive-society/)

[Gina Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-miller/)

> [This is not a battle between the United States of America and terrorism, but between the free and democratic world and terrorism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/this-is-not-a-battle-between-the-united-states-of-america-and/)

[Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/)

> [There is no society, however free and democratic, where wealth will not create an aristocracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/there-is-no-society-however-free-and-democratic-where-wealth-will-not/)

[Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/)

> [That's the place we're in right now: we think we have the capability to get every piece of information, and we don't. We don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-espinosa/that-s-the-place-we-re-in-right-now-we-think-we-have-the-capability/)

[Daniel Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-espinosa/)

> [There is nothing that is truly free nor democratic enough. Make no mistake, the internet did not come to save the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/there-is-nothing-that-is-truly-free-nor-democratic-enough-make-no/)

[Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/)

> [“When the most powerful person in our country says, “Don’t believe your eyes, don’t believe the experts, don’t believe the numbers, just believe me,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/when-the-most-powerful-person-in-our-country-says-don-t-believe-your/)

[Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/)

> [The next time they give you all that civic bullshit about voting, keep in mind that Hitler was elected in a full, free democratic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/the-next-time-they-give-you-all-that-civic-bullshit-about-voting-keep/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [I come from people who dreamed of a free democratic system. I believe so strongly in the process and equal access.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilhan-omar/i-come-from-people-who-dreamed-of-a-free-democratic-system-i-believe/)

[Ilhan Omar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilhan-omar/)

> [Secrecy and a free, democratic government don't mix.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/secrecy-and-a-free-democratic-government-don-t-mix/)

[Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/)

## More by David Brooks

> [The brain is not the mind. It is probably impossible to look at a map of brain activity and predict or even understand the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/the-brain-is-not-the-mind-it-is-probably-impossible-to-look-at-a-map/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

> [When you're running for president, you're a guest in the living room for four years. And if people don't think you're going to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/when-you-re-running-for-president-you-re-a-guest-in-the-living-room/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

> [“I’ve come to think that flourishing consists of putting yourself in situations in which you lose self-consciousness and become fused with other people, experiences,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/i-ve-come-to-think-that-flourishing-consists-of-putting-yourself-in/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

> [We have rapidly increasing technology, which is making life very good for people who are good at using words, and not so good for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/we-have-rapidly-increasing-technology-which-is-making-life-very-good/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

> [I think Barack Obama's foreign policy will be regarded more failure than success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/i-think-barack-obama-s-foreign-policy-will-be-regarded-more-failure/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

> [If you know that most processing is below the level of awareness, you learn the value of sleep. You're brain is working on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/if-you-know-that-most-processing-is-below-the-level-of-awareness-you/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

> [Trade has suddenly become massively unpopular. I think that's massively unjust. I think free trade has been wonderful for America on balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/trade-has-suddenly-become-massively-unpopular-i-think-that-s/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

> [Politics is based on social identity, and so, again, there is going to be differences between rural and urban and between left and right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/politics-is-based-on-social-identity-and-so-again-there-is-going-to/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

> [Pain now is better than pain deferred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/pain-now-is-better-than-pain-deferred/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

> [It’s worth noting that you can devote your life to community service and be a total schmuck. You can spend your life on Wall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/it-s-worth-noting-that-you-can-devote-your-life-to-community-service/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

> [If it feels all right for you, it's probably OK.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/if-it-feels-all-right-for-you-it-s-probably-ok/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

> [I do think Donald Trump is a fundamentally unstabilizing force and that the people who swore to uphold the Constitution are going to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/i-do-think-donald-trump-is-a-fundamentally-unstabilizing-force-and/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

> [Tim Kaine has been obviously a governor. He's been a senator. He's one of the smartest rising stars in the Democratic Party. He is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/tim-kaine-has-been-obviously-a-governor-he-s-been-a-senator-he-s-one/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

> [“Women, in general, are less visually aroused than men, a trait that has nearly cut the market for pornography in half.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/women-in-general-are-less-visually-aroused-than-men-a-trait-that-has/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

> [I wasn't born with a tie or with Mark Shields stapled to my left hip. I have another life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/i-wasn-t-born-with-a-tie-or-with-mark-shields-stapled-to-my-left-hip/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

[Explore all 431 David Brooks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

## More Amendment quotes

> [There are a lot of people who want to retain the Eighth Amendment - I don't agree with that view myself - there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-varadkar/there-are-a-lot-of-people-who-want-to-retain-the-eighth-amendment-i/)

[Leo Varadkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-varadkar/)

> [“Let's just make this easy. I'm in favor of a Constitutional amendment that would read something like this: 'Neither the federal government, nor any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-boortz/let-s-just-make-this-easy-i-m-in-favor-of-a-constitutional-amendment/)

[Neal Boortz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-boortz/)

> [If you reduce the guns and the ammo, you'll reduce the murders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/if-you-reduce-the-guns-and-the-ammo-you-ll-reduce-the-murders/)

[Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/)

> [Gun control laws don't work. What is worse, they act perversely. While legitimate users of firearms encounter intense regulation, scrutiny and bureaucratic control, illicit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-d-polsby/gun-control-laws-don-t-work-what-is-worse-they-act-perversely-while/)

Daniel D. Polsby

> [Can you understand why the Congress, most states and most cities refuse to pass legislation requiring the registration and licensing of any and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/can-you-understand-why-the-congress-most-states-and-most-cities/)

[Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/)

> [This separation was absolute in our original Republic. But the sky-godders do not give up easily. In the 1950s they actually got the phrase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/this-separation-was-absolute-in-our-original-republic-but-the-sky/)

[Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/)

> [Guns aren't the problem; sick people are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/guns-aren-t-the-problem-sick-people-are/)

[Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/)

> [The proliferation of right-to-carry laws throughout the states has drawn plaintive complaints from the criminal element. They feel that it makes their profession too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/the-proliferation-of-right-to-carry-laws-throughout-the-states-has/)

[Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/)

> [Gun violence has cost us too many political leaders, and hardly ever the worst ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/gun-violence-has-cost-us-too-many-political-leaders-and-hardly-ever/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [I don't think anybody who carries a rifle carries the future. Because I don't believe that you can really change the world by killing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/i-don-t-think-anybody-who-carries-a-rifle-carries-the-future-because/)

[Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/)

> [“my folks wouldn't read a book if you put a gun to their dicks. but they read people all day long and always get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-conroy/my-folks-wouldn-t-read-a-book-if-you-put-a-gun-to-their-dicks-but/)

[Pat Conroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-conroy/)

> [Anybody who pretends that how you read the 10th and 11th Amendment doesn't have a fundamental impact on the things we care about is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/anybody-who-pretends-that-how-you-read-the-10th-and-11th-amendment/)

[Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/)

> [I think we have two conflicting traditions in this country. I think it's important for us to recognize that we've got a tradition of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-we-have-two-conflicting-traditions-in-this-country-i-think-it/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [Country lyrics often reference the NRA and firearms ownership as a way of life. Artists such as John Rich, Toby Keith, Sara Evans and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-pavlich/country-lyrics-often-reference-the-nra-and-firearms-ownership-as-a/)

[Katie Pavlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-pavlich/)

> [“People who have attended Concealed Carry classes, and those already licensed, typically seem to demonstrate a higher degree of courtesy, responsibility and respect. Interestingly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-behr/people-who-have-attended-concealed-carry-classes-and-those-already/)

[Gary Behr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-behr/)

[Browse all 2,041 Amendment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amendment/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "There are no free and democratic and wealthy countries in the world that have US rate of gun violence. We have to worry about loners and alienated people. We have to do better on mental health.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "David Brooks"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/there-are-no-free-and-democratic-and-wealthy-countries-in-the-world/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Amendment"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/there-are-no-free-and-democratic-and-wealthy-countries-in-the-world/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb1/david-brooks-644_amendment_there-are-no-free-and-democratic-and-wea_333847.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb1/david-brooks-644_amendment_there-are-no-free-and-democratic-and-wea_333847.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb1/david-brooks-644_amendment_there-are-no-free-and-democratic-and-wea_333847.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“There are no free and democratic and wealthy countries in the world that have US rate of gun violence. We…” — David Brooks",
                "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": "David Brooks",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "There are no free and democratic...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/there-are-no-free-and-democratic-and-wealthy-countries-in-the-world/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/there-are-no-free-and-democratic-and-wealthy-countries-in-the-world/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
