--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we believe that humanity may transcend…" description: "\"If we believe that humanity may transcend tooth and claw, if we believe divers races & creeds can share this world as peaceably as the orphans share th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ef/david-mitchell-264_believe_if-we-believe-that-humanity-may-transcen_1675558.jpg" --- # If we believe that humanity may transcend tooth and claw… ![“If we believe that humanity may transcend tooth and claw, if we believe divers races & creeds can share this world as peaceably as the orphans share their candlenut tree, if we believe leaders must be just, violence muzzled, power accountable & the riches of the Earth & its Oceans shared…” quote by David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ef/david-mitchell-264_believe_if-we-believe-that-humanity-may-transcen_1675558.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ef/david-mitchell-264_believe_if-we-believe-that-humanity-may-transcen_1675558.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ef/david-mitchell-264_believe_if-we-believe-that-humanity-may-transcen_1675558.jpg) > “If we believe that humanity may transcend tooth and claw, if we believe divers races & creeds can share this world as peaceably as the orphans share their candlenut tree, if we believe leaders must be just, violence muzzled, power accountable & the riches of the Earth & its Oceans shared equitably, such a world will come to pass.” [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A hopeful vision of humanity requires belief in shared peace, just leadership, and equitable resource distribution. **In simple terms:** Believing in peace, justice, and fairness can create a better world. Key Takeaway Promote justice, accountability, and shared resources. Themes peace justice equity leadership Mood inspirational idealistic Type philosophical visionary When to use this quote - policy making - community building - environmental stewardship - education reform Key Concepts humanism globalism ethical governance Questions to Reflect On - What actions can individuals take toward equitable resource sharing? - How can leaders be held accountable? A Different Perspective Achieving global equity faces entrenched power structures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believe Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-humanity-895739/) [Believe Leaders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-leaders-461725/) [Claws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/claws/) [Creeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creeds/) [Creeds Share](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creeds-share-904718/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Humanity Transcend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity-transcend-904717/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Ocean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ocean/) [Orphan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orphan/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Riches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/riches/) [Share](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/share/) [Teeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teeth/) [This world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/this-world/) [Tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tree/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“If we believe that humanity may transcend tooth & claw, if we believe divers races & creeds can share this world as peaceably as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/if-we-believe-that-humanity-may-transcend-tooth-claw-if-we-believe/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [“Scholars discern motions in history & formulate these motions into rules that govern the rises & falls of civilizations. My belief runs contrary, however.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/scholars-discern-motions-in-history-formulate-these-motions-into/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [“Belief is both prize and battlefield, within the mind and in the mind's mirror, the world. If we believe humanity is a ladder of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/belief-is-both-prize-and-battlefield-within-the-mind-and-in-the-mind/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [We believe that leaders should be following the masses. We only ran in leadership campaigns to get our ideas across, to use it as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/we-believe-that-leaders-should-be-following-the-masses-we-only-ran-in/) [John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/) > [I believe leaders should have real clarity about why they're in office and what they want to do with the power they hold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laphonza-butler/i-believe-leaders-should-have-real-clarity-about-why-they-re-in/) [Laphonza Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laphonza-butler/) > [It is very comforting to believe that leaders who do terrible things are, in fact, mad. That way, all we have to do is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wolfe/it-is-very-comforting-to-believe-that-leaders-who-do-terrible-things/) [Tom Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wolfe/) > [I don't believe very much in corporate offices. I believe in leaders who are with their customers and their people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-pascal-tricoire/i-don-t-believe-very-much-in-corporate-offices-i-believe-in-leaders/) [Jean-Pascal Tricoire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-pascal-tricoire/) > [I do believe there are leaders who are like lightning and they come along and they lead. The Lincolns of the world, the Alexander…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/i-do-believe-there-are-leaders-who-are-like-lightning-and-they-come/) [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) > [I personally believe that those who are leaders with political power over the world will be forced some day, sooner or later, to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alva-myrdal/i-personally-believe-that-those-who-are-leaders-with-political-power/) [Alva Myrdal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alva-myrdal/) > [Before a community can prosper, the people must believe in their leaders. They must know that at the core of every decision is careful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-lingle/before-a-community-can-prosper-the-people-must-believe-in-their/) [Linda Lingle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-lingle/) > [“People try so hard to believe in leaders now, pitifully hard. But we no sooner get a popular reformer or politician or soldier or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/people-try-so-hard-to-believe-in-leaders-now-pitifully-hard-but-we-no/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [You want to believe in leaders, really believe in leaders. You want what they are saying to be truthful, and you want to trust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brosnan/you-want-to-believe-in-leaders-really-believe-in-leaders-you-want/) [Pierce Brosnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brosnan/) > [“People have that believe that leaders are already made materials and thereby believing they don't have what it takes to lead;get up and change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uzoma-kelechi/people-have-that-believe-that-leaders-are-already-made-materials-and/) [Uzoma Kelechi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uzoma-kelechi/) > [“You must understand something, George. The world's leaders create catastrophes and resolve them-- all at their own whimsy-- every single day. It is how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trenton-lee-stewart/you-must-understand-something-george-the-world-s-leaders-create/) [Trenton Lee Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trenton-lee-stewart/) > [I believe that leaders should inspire you to be more like them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-perino/i-believe-that-leaders-should-inspire-you-to-be-more-like-them/) [Dana Perino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-perino/) ## More by David Mitchell > [“In the next room a freckly girl Julia's age sat in a wheelchair. One of her legs wasn't there. She'd probably love to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/in-the-next-room-a-freckly-girl-julia-s-age-sat-in-a-wheelchair-one/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [“I envied my uncritical, unthinking sisters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/i-envied-my-uncritical-unthinking-sisters/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [“... Ethical cyberexplorers are responsible, yeah? We are friendly ghosts in the machine, not poltergeists or hooligans. We are a growing breed. Over sixty-five…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/ethical-cyberexplorers-are-responsible-yeah-we-are-friendly-ghosts-in/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [“I succumbed. Late-fifteenth-century verb, Old French succomber or Latin succumbere, but a basic necessity of the human condition, especially mine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/i-succumbed-late-fifteenth-century-verb-old-french-succomber-or-latin/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [Your environment affects you wherever you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/your-environment-affects-you-wherever-you-are/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [“The second tunnel’s a Ministry of Defence tunnel...dug for a nuclear bomb shelter. The entrance is in the garden center at Woolworth’s in Great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/the-second-tunnel-s-a-ministry-of-defence-tunnel-dug-for-a-nuclear/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [“Loyalty looks simple... but it ain't.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/loyalty-looks-simple-but-it-ain-t/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [“Only the trombonist played on. That's trombonists for you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/only-the-trombonist-played-on-that-s-trombonists-for-you/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [War's an auction where whoever can pay the most in damage and still be standing wins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/war-s-an-auction-where-whoever-can-pay-the-most-in-damage-and-still/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [The human world is made of stories, not people. The people the stories use to tell themselves are not to be blamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/the-human-world-is-made-of-stories-not-people-the-people-the-stories/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [So little is actually worthy of belief or disbelief. Better to strive to coexist than seek to disapprove . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/so-little-is-actually-worthy-of-belief-or-disbelief-better-to-strive/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [I elbowed my way into the grubby café, bought a pie that tasted of shoe polish and a pot of tea with cork crumbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/i-elbowed-my-way-into-the-grubby-caf-bought-a-pie-that-tasted-of-shoe/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [“A classical LP was playing... ... Jealous and sweet, this music was, sobbing and gorgeous, muddy and crystal. But if the right words existed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/a-classical-lp-was-playing-jealous-and-sweet-this-music-was-sobbing/) [david mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [How lazily "xperts" dismiss what they fail to understand!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/how-lazily-xperts-dismiss-what-they-fail-to-understand/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [“Writing poetry's,' I looked around the solarium, but Madame Crommelynck's got a tractor beam, 'sort of . . . gay.' '"Gay"? A merry activity?'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/writing-poetry-s-i-looked-around-the-solarium-but-madame-crommelynck/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) [Explore all 748 David Mitchell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [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/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If we believe that humanity may transcend tooth and claw, if we believe divers races & creeds can share this world as peaceably as the orphans share their candlenut tree, if we believe leaders must be just, violence muzzled, power accountable & the riches of the Earth & its Oceans shared equitably, such a world will come to pass.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Mitchell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/if-we-believe-that-humanity-may-transcend-tooth-and-claw-if-we/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/if-we-believe-that-humanity-may-transcend-tooth-and-claw-if-we/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ef/david-mitchell-264_believe_if-we-believe-that-humanity-may-transcen_1675558.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ef/david-mitchell-264_believe_if-we-believe-that-humanity-may-transcen_1675558.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ef/david-mitchell-264_believe_if-we-believe-that-humanity-may-transcen_1675558.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If we believe that humanity may transcend tooth and claw, if we believe divers races & creeds can share this…” — David Mitchell", "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 Mitchell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If we believe that humanity may...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/if-we-believe-that-humanity-may-transcend-tooth-and-claw-if-we/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/if-we-believe-that-humanity-may-transcend-tooth-and-claw-if-we/#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 } } ] } ```