--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What we would like to do is change the…" description: "\"What we would like to do is change the world...by crying out unceasingly for the rights of the workers, of the poor, of the destitute. We can throw our..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d5/dorothy-day-1629_around-the-world_what-we-would-like-to-do-is-change-the-w_362551.jpg" --- # What we would like to do is change the world...by crying… ![“What we would like to do is change the world...by crying out unceasingly for the rights of the workers, of the poor, of the destitute. We can throw our pebble in the pond and be confident that its ever widening circle will reach around the world.” quote by Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d5/dorothy-day-1629_around-the-world_what-we-would-like-to-do-is-change-the-w_362551.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d5/dorothy-day-1629_around-the-world_what-we-would-like-to-do-is-change-the-w_362551.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d5/dorothy-day-1629_around-the-world_what-we-would-like-to-do-is-change-the-w_362551.jpg) > “What we would like to do is change the world...by crying out unceasingly for the rights of the workers, of the poor, of the destitute. We can throw our pebble in the pond and be confident that its ever widening circle will reach around the world.” [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocating relentless activism for the oppressed, believing small actions ripple globally. **In simple terms:** Persistent activism spreads impact worldwide. Key Takeaway Act consistently for justice. Themes activism solidarity social justice Mood determined hopeful Type inspirational political When to use this quote - labor protests - community organizing - policy advocacy - grassroots campaigns Key Concepts Catholic social teaching ripple effect Questions to Reflect On - How can you sustain activism without burnout? - What small action can you start today? A Different Perspective Change may be slow and face powerful opposition. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Around the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around-the-world/) [Be confident](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-confident/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-the-world/) [Change World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-world/) [Changing the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changing-the-world/) [Circles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circles/) [Cry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cry/) [Pebbles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pebbles/) [Ponds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ponds/) [Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor/) [Reach World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reach-world-1489932/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Rights Workers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights-workers-694265/) [Workers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/workers/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Crying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-crying-2648813/) ## Related quotes > [What we would like to do is change the world - make it a little simpler for people to feed, clothe, and shelter themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/what-we-would-like-to-do-is-change-the-world-make-it-a-little-simpler-2/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) > [People say, what is the sense of our small effort? They cannot see that we must lay one brick at a time, take one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/people-say-what-is-the-sense-of-our-small-effort-they-cannot-see-that-2/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) > [What I want to bring out is how a pebble cast into a pond causes ripples that spread in all directions. Each one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/what-i-want-to-bring-out-is-how-a-pebble-cast-into-a-pond-causes/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) > [When you make a decision and a commitment to do something good for yourself, it is like dropping a pebble in a pond. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iyanla-vanzant/when-you-make-a-decision-and-a-commitment-to-do-something-good-for/) [Iyanla Vanzant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iyanla-vanzant/) > [We drop like pebbles into the ponds of each other's souls, and the orbit of our ripples continues to expand, intersecting with countless others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-z-borysenko/we-drop-like-pebbles-into-the-ponds-of-each-other-s-souls-and-the/) [Joan Z. Borysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-z-borysenko/) > [I want to be the pebble in the pond that creates the ripple for change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/i-want-to-be-the-pebble-in-the-pond-that-creates-the-ripple-for-change/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [We need to take action to develop compassion, to create inner peace within ourselves and to share that inner peace with our family and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/we-need-to-take-action-to-develop-compassion-to-create-inner-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [You want to be the pebble in the pond that creates the ripples for change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/you-want-to-be-the-pebble-in-the-pond-that-creates-the-ripples-for/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [If you throw the pebble in the pond and the rings start circulating that much wider, you've done things and created things for people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-grossman/if-you-throw-the-pebble-in-the-pond-and-the-rings-start-circulating/) [Mindy Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-grossman/) > [“I am one man, but I am still a man. I sure can't do everything, but I can, at least, do something. I can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abiodun-fijabi/i-am-one-man-but-i-am-still-a-man-i-sure-can-t-do-everything-but-i/) [Abiodun Fijabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abiodun-fijabi/) > [The dream of every footballer and why we train and work is to reach the top, and a World Cup is the top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giovani-dos-santos/the-dream-of-every-footballer-and-why-we-train-and-work-is-to-reach/) [Giovani Dos Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giovani-dos-santos/) > [I live my life in widening circles that reach out across the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/i-live-my-life-in-widening-circles-that-reach-out-across-the-world/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [When you reach out to others in need, when you reach out to the world, you really do have a satisfying life by helping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-bush/when-you-reach-out-to-others-in-need-when-you-reach-out-to-the-world/) [Laura Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-bush/) > [The advantage of doing away with words is that you can reach out to any part of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prabhu-deva/the-advantage-of-doing-away-with-words-is-that-you-can-reach-out-to/) [Prabhu Deva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prabhu-deva/) > [Help others reach world-class. And they'll joyfully help you get to your best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-s-sharma/help-others-reach-world-class-and-they-ll-joyfully-help-you-get-to/) [Robin S. Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-s-sharma/) ## More by Dorothy Day > [“There was no attack on religion because people were generally indifferent to religion. They were neither hot nor cold. They were the tepid, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/there-was-no-attack-on-religion-because-people-were-generally/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) > [We must recognize the fact that many Nazis, Marxists and Fascists believe passionately in their fundamental rightness, and allow nothing to hinder them from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/we-must-recognize-the-fact-that-many-nazis-marxists-and-fascists/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) > [“Now don't think I've lost my mind - but I'll tell you, I'll look at some of the cards I have, some of Van…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/now-don-t-think-i-ve-lost-my-mind-but-i-ll-tell-you-i-ll-look-at-some/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) > [The Sexual Revolution is a complete rebellion against authority, natural and supernatural, even against the body and its needs, its natural functions of child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/the-sexual-revolution-is-a-complete-rebellion-against-authority/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) > [Idealism in the young, I guess I'm saying, is curiosity as well as goodness trying to express itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/idealism-in-the-young-i-guess-i-m-saying-is-curiosity-as-well-as/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) > [Voluntary poverty isn't going around with some burlap bag around you and imitating the poor. It means being indifferent to the material, doing as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/voluntary-poverty-isn-t-going-around-with-some-burlap-bag-around-you/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) > [Women think with their whole bodies and they see things as a whole more than men do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/women-think-with-their-whole-bodies-and-they-see-things-as-a-whole/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) > [My whole life so far, my whole experience has been that our failure has been not to love enough. This conviction brought me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/my-whole-life-so-far-my-whole-experience-has-been-that-our-failure/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) > [I think one of the things we must constantly keep in mind is, 'If anybody hits you on one cheek, turn the other.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/i-think-one-of-the-things-we-must-constantly-keep-in-mind-is-if/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) > [It is only through religion that communism can be achieved, and has been achieved over and over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/it-is-only-through-religion-that-communism-can-be-achieved-and-has/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) > [The Communists in Cuba didn't assist Castro in his revolution. They weren't on the side of the students. They didn't do anything to help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/the-communists-in-cuba-didn-t-assist-castro-in-his-revolution-they/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) > [Dear God, please enlarge our hearts to love each other, to love our neighbor, to love our enemy as well as our friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/dear-god-please-enlarge-our-hearts-to-love-each-other-to-love-our/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) > [A conversion is a lonely experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/a-conversion-is-a-lonely-experience/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) > [The sense is always that community is natural to people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/the-sense-is-always-that-community-is-natural-to-people/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) > [“We must practice the presence of God. He said that when two or three are gathered together, there he is in the midst of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/we-must-practice-the-presence-of-god-he-said-that-when-two-or-three/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) [Explore all 220 Dorothy Day quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) ## More Around the world quotes > [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/) [Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/) > [Look at music for what it's worth around the world and not just America. In other countries, people are still buying CDs and going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/look-at-music-for-what-it-s-worth-around-the-world-and-not-just/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [Throughout our history, the words of the Declaration have inspired immigrants from around the world to set sail to our shores. These immigrants have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/throughout-our-history-the-words-of-the-declaration-have-inspired/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [It's difficult to believe in yourself because the idea of self is an artificial construction. You are, in fact, part of the glorious oneness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-brand/it-s-difficult-to-believe-in-yourself-because-the-idea-of-self-is-an/) [Russell Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-brand/) > [We know the candidate Barack Obama, what he was like - the anti-war government nig... America was a source for division around the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/we-know-the-candidate-barack-obama-what-he-was-like-the-anti-war/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [Since 'coming out,' I've marched in gay pride parades all around the world, I've filled my home full of rainbow tat and I've become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carr/since-coming-out-i-ve-marched-in-gay-pride-parades-all-around-the/) [Liz Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carr/) > [Once, as an experiment, I travelled around the world with a single suit. Before I left, I went to a tailor in Savile Row…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-hamilton/once-as-an-experiment-i-travelled-around-the-world-with-a-single-suit/) [George Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-hamilton/) > [Thanks to all members of the military around the world for giving me the ultimate motivation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalya-neidhart/thanks-to-all-members-of-the-military-around-the-world-for-giving-me/) [Natalya Neidhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalya-neidhart/) > [I look at what's happening around the world and I see Iran four years closer to a bomb. I see the Middle East with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-look-at-what-s-happening-around-the-world-and-i-see-iran-four-years/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [“The low point occurred in July, during Romney’s junior week abroad, in which the press became increasingly frustrated over Romney’s refusal to talk to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/the-low-point-occurred-in-july-during-romney-s-junior-week-abroad-in/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [I believe there definitely are good things about social networking. It's a way for people to connect all around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzie-velasquez/i-believe-there-definitely-are-good-things-about-social-networking-it/) [Lizzie Velasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzie-velasquez/) > [“Isn’t everyone on the planet or at least everyone on the planet called me stuck between the two impulses of wanting to walk away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-lacey/isn-t-everyone-on-the-planet-or-at-least-everyone-on-the-planet/) [Catherine Lacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-lacey/) > [You always can improve and I think that's the beauty of international cricket, particularly test cricket, is playing all around the world against different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kane-williamson/you-always-can-improve-and-i-think-that-s-the-beauty-of-international/) [Kane Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kane-williamson/) > [Trump is reviled around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-reid/trump-is-reviled-around-the-world/) [Joy Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-reid/) [Browse all 3,349 Around the world quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around-the-world/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What we would like to do is change the world...by crying out unceasingly for the rights of the workers, of the poor, of the destitute. 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