--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are a people that let the small things…" description: "\"We are a people that let the small things just go by because it's a little uncomfortable and nobody wants to ruffle a feather. If you're quiet and you'..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c19/don-iveson-52782_feathers_we-are-a-people-that-let-the-small-thing_845220.jpg" --- # We are a people that let the small things just go by… ![“We are a people that let the small things just go by because it's a little uncomfortable and nobody wants to ruffle a feather. If you're quiet and you're watching it, you're just as much at fault as the person there. You're watching a victim be berated and you're standing by, knowing that feeling…” quote by Don Iveson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c19/don-iveson-52782_feathers_we-are-a-people-that-let-the-small-thing_845220.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c19/don-iveson-52782_feathers_we-are-a-people-that-let-the-small-thing_845220.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c19/don-iveson-52782_feathers_we-are-a-people-that-let-the-small-thing_845220.jpg) > “We are a people that let the small things just go by because it's a little uncomfortable and nobody wants to ruffle a feather. If you're quiet and you're watching it, you're just as much at fault as the person there. You're watching a victim be berated and you're standing by, knowing that feeling in your gut that it's wrong. Now you have a tool in order to change that.” [Don Iveson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-iveson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ignoring minor injustices fuels larger harm; we must act when uncomfortable. **In simple terms:** Small injustices matter; act despite discomfort. Key Takeaway Speak up against subtle wrongs. Themes justice activism comfort zone responsibility ethics courage Mood determined empathetic Type activist motivational When to use this quote - Workplace bullying - public policy - neighborhood disputes Key Concepts social ethics moral philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What small wrongs have you witnessed? - How can you intervene safely? A Different Perspective Fear of conflict can silence needed action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fault Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fault-person-449027/) [Feathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feathers/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Guts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guts/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Quiet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quiet/) [Quiet Watching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quiet-watching-685663/) [Small things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-things/) [Uncomfortable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncomfortable/) [Victim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victim/) [Victim Berated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victim-berated-685661/) [Watching Victim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watching-victim-685662/) ## Related quotes > [“But more than anything, love yourself. 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And I think sometimes it's a copout to say, "Well, it's this person's fault or another person's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/we-can-all-control-our-own-destiny-and-i-think-sometimes-it-s-a/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [“Most people prefer to think that their resentment is entirely the fault of the person they resent, and that twisted logic seems to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-ryan-hyde/most-people-prefer-to-think-that-their-resentment-is-entirely-the/) [Catherine Ryan Hyde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-ryan-hyde/) > [When a relationship ends, don't go around thinking it's your fault show the person that it's their loss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kealohi-dela-cruz/when-a-relationship-ends-don-t-go-around-thinking-it-s-your-fault/) [Kealohi Dela Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kealohi-dela-cruz/) > [If there is something that has worked for me or not worked for me in my personal life then it is because I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pulkit-samrat/if-there-is-something-that-has-worked-for-me-or-not-worked-for-me-in/) [Pulkit Samrat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pulkit-samrat/) > [“Don’t allow your tongue to utter the fault of another person, because you are covered in faults and everyone else has tongues too. Don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imam-ash-shafi-i/don-t-allow-your-tongue-to-utter-the-fault-of-another-person-because/) [Imam ash-Shafi i](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imam-ash-shafi-i/) > [If something's going on with your kid, it doesn't necessarily mean it's your fault. They're their own person. Let's talk about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-buteau/if-something-s-going-on-with-your-kid-it-doesn-t-necessarily-mean-it/) [Michelle Buteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-buteau/) > [The end of a relationship is not always a failure. Sometimes all the love in the world is not enough to save something. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-end-of-a-relationship-is-not-always-a-failure-sometimes-all-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is not only easier to find fault with another person than to examine one's own character, it is also tempting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-dansky/it-is-not-only-easier-to-find-fault-with-another-person-than-to/) [Martin Dansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-dansky/) ## More by Don Iveson > [Mainstream Canadians, what some might call the dominant culture, like to think this racism doesn't happen. It's important to remind people that it does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-iveson/mainstream-canadians-what-some-might-call-the-dominant-culture-like/) [Don Iveson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-iveson/) > [I think the economy is the point of greatest uncertainty for most people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-iveson/i-think-the-economy-is-the-point-of-greatest-uncertainty-for-most/) [Don Iveson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-iveson/) > [There is a certain amount of racist behaviour, a certain amount of this mindset, in the darker recesses of every community. It needs to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-iveson/there-is-a-certain-amount-of-racist-behaviour-a-certain-amount-of/) [Don Iveson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-iveson/) > [I'm very grateful for the people that I work with, because I don't get to choose them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-iveson/i-m-very-grateful-for-the-people-that-i-work-with-because-i-don-t-get/) [Don Iveson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-iveson/) > [People should be suspicious if every decision was unanimous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-iveson/people-should-be-suspicious-if-every-decision-was-unanimous/) [Don Iveson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-iveson/) > [I think the biggest challenge and the biggest uncertainty for everyone is the economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-iveson/i-think-the-biggest-challenge-and-the-biggest-uncertainty-for/) [Don Iveson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-iveson/) [Explore all 7 Don Iveson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-iveson/) ## More Feathers quotes > [A free society depends upon a high degree of mutual trust. The public will not give that trust to officials who are not seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-cox/a-free-society-depends-upon-a-high-degree-of-mutual-trust-the-public/) [Archibald Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-cox/) > [Stefan: "Indian with a dot, not a feather.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/stefan-indian-with-a-dot-not-a-feather/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [“Only the chicken-lover will understand me. He will give me a kindly look, maybe mildly desirous. His eyes will tell me: You might look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/only-the-chicken-lover-will-understand-me-he-will-give-me-a-kindly/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [All she saw, down in the cellar well beneath the stoop, was a light yellow feather with a tip of green. And she had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/all-she-saw-down-in-the-cellar-well-beneath-the-stoop-was-a-light/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [Just erotic. Nothing kinky. It's the difference between using a feather and using a chicken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/just-erotic-nothing-kinky-it-s-the-difference-between-using-a-feather/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Now I'm free of him and I'm light as a feather. There's no weight holding me down; I'm ready to spread my wings and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-holmes/now-i-m-free-of-him-and-i-m-light-as-a-feather-there-s-no-weight/) [Larry Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-holmes/) > [I often say if men were meant to fly we would have been born with either feathers and wings or at the very least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-zakour/i-often-say-if-men-were-meant-to-fly-we-would-have-been-born-with/) [John Zakour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-zakour/) > [The world is not a burden; we make it a burden by our desires. When the desires are removed, the world is as light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baba-hari-dass/the-world-is-not-a-burden-we-make-it-a-burden-by-our-desires-when-the/) [Baba Hari Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baba-hari-dass/) > [I've been doing 'The Bachelor' long enough that I don't really care whose feathers I ruffle and how many waves I cause, because my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-harrison/i-ve-been-doing-the-bachelor-long-enough-that-i-don-t-really-care/) [Chris Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-harrison/) > [“Featherweight by Suzy Kassem One evening, I sat by the ocean and questioned the moon about my destiny. I revealed to it that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/featherweight-by-suzy-kassem-one-evening-i-sat-by-the-ocean-and/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [“Birds, unlike us, lack countenance. But they make us smile when they connecting the sky with their dazzling feathers. They amaze us with how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-ligori/birds-unlike-us-lack-countenance-but-they-make-us-smile-when-they/) [Susan Ligori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-ligori/) > [I have not the particular shining bauble or feather in my cap for crowds to gaze at or kneel to, but I have power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-cromwell/i-have-not-the-particular-shining-bauble-or-feather-in-my-cap-for/) [Oliver Cromwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-cromwell/) > [Our respect for the dead, when they are just dead, is something wonderful, and the way we show it more wonderful still. We show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/our-respect-for-the-dead-when-they-are-just-dead-is-something/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [...wings—-vast shimmering wings, their reach so great they swept the walls on either side of the alley, each feather like the wind-tugged lick of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/wings-vast-shimmering-wings-their-reach-so-great-they-swept-the-walls/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [Erotica is using a feather; pornograpy is using the whole chicken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/erotica-is-using-a-feather-pornograpy-is-using-the-whole-chicken/) [Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/) [Browse all 605 Feathers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feathers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We are a people that let the small things just go by because it's a little uncomfortable and nobody wants to ruffle a feather. 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