--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A person with ubuntu is open and…" description: "\"A person with ubuntu is open and available to others, affirming of others, does not feel threatened that others are able and good, for he or she has a ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/desmond-tutu-442_able_a-person-with-ubuntu-is-open-and-availab_1364917.jpg" --- # A person with ubuntu is open and available to others… ![“A person with ubuntu is open and available to others, affirming of others, does not feel threatened that others are able and good, for he or she has a proper self-assurance that comes from knowing that he or she belongs in a greater whole and is diminished when others are humiliated or diminished…” quote by Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/desmond-tutu-442_able_a-person-with-ubuntu-is-open-and-availab_1364917.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/desmond-tutu-442_able_a-person-with-ubuntu-is-open-and-availab_1364917.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/desmond-tutu-442_able_a-person-with-ubuntu-is-open-and-availab_1364917.jpg) > “A person with ubuntu is open and available to others, affirming of others, does not feel threatened that others are able and good, for he or she has a proper self-assurance that comes from knowing that he or she belongs in a greater whole and is diminished when others are humiliated or diminished, when others are tortured or oppressed.” [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ubuntu means seeing oneself as part of a community, fostering confidence and empathy, and rejecting oppression. **In simple terms:** Ubuntu links self-worth to community. Key Takeaway Practice empathy, support others. Themes community empathy human dignity solidarity Mood hopeful determined Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - teamwork - volunteer work - activism - conflict resolution Key Concepts social psychology ethics human rights Questions to Reflect On - How does belonging affect your confidence? - What actions show Ubuntu in daily life? A Different Perspective May be idealized; complex power dynamics can hinder. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assurance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assurance/) [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Oppressed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppressed/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self assurance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-assurance/) [Ubuntu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ubuntu/) ## Related quotes > [ “Ubuntu \[...\] speaks of the very essence of being human. \[We\] say \[...\] "Hey, so-and-so has ubuntu." Then you are generous, you are hospitable,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/ubuntu-speaks-of-the-very-essence-of-being-human-we-say-hey-so-and-so/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [“... the proper self-knowledge and self-love of every created thing is ipso facto a participation in the knowledge and love of God. The entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-farrar-capon/the-proper-self-knowledge-and-self-love-of-every-created-thing-is/) [Robert Farrar Capon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-farrar-capon/) > [I think we need to grow in our self-assurance that is not scared of being challenged, that the truth we uphold can stand up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/i-think-we-need-to-grow-in-our-self-assurance-that-is-not-scared-of/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [We can enjoy a self-assurance that doesn't depend on the state of things outside ourselves, be it downturns or booms or whatever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/we-can-enjoy-a-self-assurance-that-doesn-t-depend-on-the-state-of/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [Ubuntu is very difficult to render into a Western language. It speaks of the very essence of being human… you are generous, you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/ubuntu-is-very-difficult-to-render-into-a-western-language-it-speaks-2/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [I think that most of us would say that ubuntu basically speaks about what it means to be human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/i-think-that-most-of-us-would-say-that-ubuntu-basically-speaks-about/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [One of the sayings in our country is Ubuntu - the essence of being human. Ubuntu speaks particularly about the fact that you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/one-of-the-sayings-in-our-country-is-ubuntu-the-essence-of-being/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [Bringing people together is what i call 'ubuntu,' which means 'I am because we are.' Far too often people think of themselves as just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/bringing-people-together-is-what-i-call-ubuntu-which-means-i-am/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [You know when ubuntu is there, and it is obvious when it is absent. It has to do with what it means to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/you-know-when-ubuntu-is-there-and-it-is-obvious-when-it-is-absent-it/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [Ubuntu is very difficult to render into a Western language... It is to say, 'My humanity is caught up, is inextricably bound up, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/ubuntu-is-very-difficult-to-render-into-a-western-language-it-is-to/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [Ubuntu really says if you want to be nice to yourself, start in a way by being nice to the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/ubuntu-really-says-if-you-want-to-be-nice-to-yourself-start-in-a-way/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [Ubuntu tells us that we can create a more peaceful world by striving for goodness in each moment, wherever we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/ubuntu-tells-us-that-we-can-create-a-more-peaceful-world-by-striving/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [Africans believe in something that is difficult to render in English. We call it ubuntu, botho. It means the essence of being human. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/africans-believe-in-something-that-is-difficult-to-render-in-english/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [“Some people’s self-esteem was secretly improved when they discovered that their then-lovers had killed themselves over them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/some-people-s-self-esteem-was-secretly-improved-when-they-discovered/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [She might be without country, without nation, but inside her there was still a being that could exist and be free, that could simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-maas/she-might-be-without-country-without-nation-but-inside-her-there-was/) [Sharon Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-maas/) ## More by Desmond Tutu > [Each of us is precious to God because each of us has their name written on the palms of God's hands. And God says…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/each-of-us-is-precious-to-god-because-each-of-us-has-their-name/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [Freedom and liberty lose out by default because good people are not vigilant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/freedom-and-liberty-lose-out-by-default-because-good-people-are-not/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [We shall be free only together, black and white. We shall survive only together, black and white. We can be human only together, black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/we-shall-be-free-only-together-black-and-white-we-shall-survive-only/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [Many people would be surprised that, in fact, I'm quite shy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/many-people-would-be-surprised-that-in-fact-i-m-quite-shy/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [Too many people think that reconciliation means you soft-pedal differences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/too-many-people-think-that-reconciliation-means-you-soft-pedal/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [Our Christian faith is actually very subversive of the conventional notion of success - the notion that what invests a person with worth is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/our-christian-faith-is-actually-very-subversive-of-the-conventional/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [Every situation of justice is an occasion where someone is being humiliated and they want to restore their dignity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/every-situation-of-justice-is-an-occasion-where-someone-is-being/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [Race should not be used to claim privileges and rights for one group, exclusively, which are denied other different groups. Then that is an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/race-should-not-be-used-to-claim-privileges-and-rights-for-one-group/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [People are able to justify immense cruelty and say that it is something that is sanctioned by their faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/people-are-able-to-justify-immense-cruelty-and-say-that-it-is/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [South Africa, so utterly improbably, is a beacon of hope in a dark and troubled world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/south-africa-so-utterly-improbably-is-a-beacon-of-hope-in-a-dark-and/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [I don't often want to speak. I try to be a reasonable person and to be diplomatic, but you go to that place and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/i-don-t-often-want-to-speak-i-try-to-be-a-reasonable-person-and-to-be/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [“child of God, known by name and whose very hairs are numbered. Praise and adore God and thank him for ever and ever. Amen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/child-of-god-known-by-name-and-whose-very-hairs-are-numbered-praise/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [To remain neutral in situations of injustice is to be complicit in that injustice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/to-remain-neutral-in-situations-of-injustice-is-to-be-complicit-in/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [It's a fantastic thing that from moment to the next moment if God were to have stopped for a split second we would disintegrate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/it-s-a-fantastic-thing-that-from-moment-to-the-next-moment-if-god/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [Once lost, trust can only be regained if we are as good as our word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/once-lost-trust-can-only-be-regained-if-we-are-as-good-as-our-word/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) [Explore all 558 Desmond Tutu quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A person with ubuntu is open and available to others, affirming of others, does not feel threatened that others are able and good, for he or she has a proper self-assurance that comes from knowing that he or she belongs in a greater whole and is diminished when others are humiliated or diminished, when others are tortured or oppressed.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Desmond Tutu" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/a-person-with-ubuntu-is-open-and-available-to-others-affirming-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Able" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/a-person-with-ubuntu-is-open-and-available-to-others-affirming-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/desmond-tutu-442_able_a-person-with-ubuntu-is-open-and-availab_1364917.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/desmond-tutu-442_able_a-person-with-ubuntu-is-open-and-availab_1364917.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/desmond-tutu-442_able_a-person-with-ubuntu-is-open-and-availab_1364917.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A person with ubuntu is open and available to others, affirming of others, does not feel threatened that…” — Desmond Tutu", "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": "Desmond Tutu", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A person with ubuntu is open...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/a-person-with-ubuntu-is-open-and-available-to-others-affirming-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/a-person-with-ubuntu-is-open-and-available-to-others-affirming-of/#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 } } ] } ```