--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People want much the same things, but…" description: "\"People want much the same things, but they have been formed by history to have a particular perception of the other.\" — Desmond Tutu" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/025/desmond-tutu-442_has-beens_people-want-much-the-same-things-but-the_2971449.jpg" --- # People want much the same things, but they have been… ![“People want much the same things, but they have been formed by history to have a particular perception of the other.” quote by Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/025/desmond-tutu-442_has-beens_people-want-much-the-same-things-but-the_2971449.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/025/desmond-tutu-442_has-beens_people-want-much-the-same-things-but-the_2971449.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/025/desmond-tutu-442_has-beens_people-want-much-the-same-things-but-the_2971449.jpg) > “People want much the same things, but they have been formed by history to have a particular perception of the other.” [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. People share similar desires but historical narratives shape divergent perceptions of each other. **In simple terms:** History skews how we view others. Key Takeaway Recognize shared humanity despite histories. Themes tolerance history perception Mood empathetic hopeful Type social inspirational When to use this quote - intercultural dialogue - education reform - conflict resolution - media analysis Key Concepts social psychology collective memory Questions to Reflect On - How does history shape your view of others? - Can shared goals bridge divided perceptions? A Different Perspective Historical grievances can be deeply entrenched. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Formed History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/formed-history-4576417/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History Particular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-particular-710927/) [Particular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particular/) [Particular Perception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particular-perception-1248604/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-want/) [Perception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perception/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [For my part, when I enter most intimately into what I call myself, I always stumble on some particular perception or other, of heat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/for-my-part-when-i-enter-most-intimately-into-what-i-call-myself-i/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [“For my part, when I enter most intimately into what I call myself, I always stumble on some particular perception or other, of heat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/for-my-part-when-i-enter-most-intimately-into-what-i-call-myself-i-2/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [“History describes what has happened, poetry what might. Hence poetry is something more philosophic and serious than history; for poetry speaks of what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/history-describes-what-has-happened-poetry-what-might-hence-poetry-is/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [History is not only a particular branch of knowledge, but a particular mode and method of knowledge in other branches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/history-is-not-only-a-particular-branch-of-knowledge-but-a-particular/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [A history in which every particular incident may be true may on the whole be false.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/a-history-in-which-every-particular-incident-may-be-true-may-on-the/) [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) > [I had this feeling that, somehow, we ought to be teaching not just the history of particular nations or particular regions, but the history…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-christian/i-had-this-feeling-that-somehow-we-ought-to-be-teaching-not-just-the/) [David Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-christian/) > [There are times in history where a particular doctrine becomes a symbol of a greater problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-robertson/there-are-times-in-history-where-a-particular-doctrine-becomes-a/) [Pat Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-robertson/) > [Stick with your own perception of yourself-living in your own world-and letting your reality, not the reality presented by other people or particular situations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eliot/stick-with-your-own-perception-of-yourself-living-in-your-own-world/) [John Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eliot/) > [I hate it when people come up to me on trains and ask 'Are you Soulja Boy?' If people want pictures or autographs, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soulja-boy/i-hate-it-when-people-come-up-to-me-on-trains-and-ask-are-you-soulja/) [Soulja Boy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soulja-boy/) > [I have found that I am not a space where people want to live, at least not without decorating first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/i-have-found-that-i-am-not-a-space-where-people-want-to-live-at-least/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [It's very funny. People do not want to achieve liberation or be happy. This is the basic guideline they teach you in Spiritual Training…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/it-s-very-funny-people-do-not-want-to-achieve-liberation-or-be-happy/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I want to play in a place people want to hear me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luther-allison/i-want-to-play-in-a-place-people-want-to-hear-me/) [Luther Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luther-allison/) > [Most startups are not just built for the person who is using them. When you do that, every now and then you get really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/most-startups-are-not-just-built-for-the-person-who-is-using-them/) [Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/) > [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/) > [I don't wanna discuss about it - People who want to discuss about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/i-don-t-wanna-discuss-about-it-people-who-want-to-discuss-about-it/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) ## 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 Has beens quotes > [Whatever meaning 'Annie's Song' had for me on a personal level, there was also a larger context. 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The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [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 find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Gambling has held human beings in thrall for millennia. It has been engaged in everywhere, from the dregs of society to the most respectable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-l-bernstein/gambling-has-held-human-beings-in-thrall-for-millennia-it-has-been/) [Peter L. Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-l-bernstein/) > [And I have been very blessed, having coached some of the greatest that have ever played the game. But if I had to start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/and-i-have-been-very-blessed-having-coached-some-of-the-greatest-that/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [My folks tried to make a preacher of me and missed by a narrow margin… I would have made a good one if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/my-folks-tried-to-make-a-preacher-of-me-and-missed-by-a-narrow-margin/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Here's the reality. The image of a white Jesus has been used to justify enslavement, conquest, colonialism, the genocide of indigenous peoples. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/here-s-the-reality-the-image-of-a-white-jesus-has-been-used-to/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/) [Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/) > [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [During the last 17 years... 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