--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As I get older ... I become more…" description: "\"As I get older ... I become more convinced that good government is not a substitute for self-government.\" — Dwight Morrow" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b8/dwight-morrow-67691_convinced_as-i-get-older-i-become-more-convinced-t_2734497.png" --- # As I get older ... I become more convinced that good… ![“As I get older ... I become more convinced that good government is not a substitute for self-government.” quote by Dwight Morrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b8/dwight-morrow-67691_convinced_as-i-get-older-i-become-more-convinced-t_2734497.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b8/dwight-morrow-67691_convinced_as-i-get-older-i-become-more-convinced-t_2734497.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b8/dwight-morrow-67691_convinced_as-i-get-older-i-become-more-convinced-t_2734497.png) > “As I get older ... I become more convinced that good government is not a substitute for self-government.” Dwight Morrow ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Argues that effective governance requires active citizen participation, not just reliance on officials. **In simple terms:** Good government isn’t enough; citizens must act. Key Takeaway Engage in self‑governance and civic duties. Themes civic duty government self‑governance political responsibility Mood encouraging thought‑provoking Type political inspirational When to use this quote - voting - community organizing - local activism Key Concepts democracy citizen empowerment public policy Questions to Reflect On - What actions can individuals take to improve governance? - How can self‑government be fostered in communities? A Different Perspective May overlook systemic barriers to participation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Good government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-government/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self-government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-government/) ## Related quotes > [Good government is no substitute for self-government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/good-government-is-no-substitute-for-self-government/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Good government could never be a substitute for government by the people themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-campbell-bannerman/good-government-could-never-be-a-substitute-for-government-by-the/) [Henry Campbell-Bannerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-campbell-bannerman/) > [Government is not a substitute for people, but simply the instrument through which they act. And if the individual fails to do his duty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-baruch/government-is-not-a-substitute-for-people-but-simply-the-instrument/) [Bernard Baruch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-baruch/) > [The older I get, the more convinced I am that the space between people who are trying their best to understand each other is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/the-older-i-get-the-more-convinced-i-am-that-the-space-between-people/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [Unlike the normal pattern, I know I have grown more liberal as I've grown older. I have become more convinced that there is room…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-smith/unlike-the-normal-pattern-i-know-i-have-grown-more-liberal-as-i-ve/) [Red Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-smith/) > [Politics is the practical exercise of the art of self-government, and somebody must attend to it if we are to have self-government; somebody must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elihu-root/politics-is-the-practical-exercise-of-the-art-of-self-government-and/) [Elihu Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elihu-root/) > [We spoke and acted as if, given the opportunity for self-government, we would quickly create utopias. Instead injustice, even tyranny, is rampant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-nyerere/we-spoke-and-acted-as-if-given-the-opportunity-for-self-government-we/) [Julius Nyerere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-nyerere/) > [To rail and rant against tyranny is to manifest inferiority, for there is no tyranny but ignorance; to be conscious of one's powers is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-c-riegel/to-rail-and-rant-against-tyranny-is-to-manifest-inferiority-for-there/) [E.C. Riegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-c-riegel/) > [There is no greatness apart from self control. Development that does not include self government will only guarantee our mediocrity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-cooke/there-is-no-greatness-apart-from-self-control-development-that-does/) [Graham Cooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-cooke/) > [Our forefathers found the evils of free thinking more to be endured than the evils of inquest or suppression. This is because thoughtful, bold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-jackson/our-forefathers-found-the-evils-of-free-thinking-more-to-be-endured/) [Robert H. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-jackson/) > [China is a country with a record of continuous self-government going back 4,000 years, the only society that has achieved this. One must start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/china-is-a-country-with-a-record-of-continuous-self-government-going/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [Local self-government…is the life-blood of liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lothrop-motley/local-self-government-is-the-life-blood-of-liberty/) [John Lothrop Motley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lothrop-motley/) > [Self government is no less essential to the development, growth, and happiness of the individual than to the nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-douglas/self-government-is-no-less-essential-to-the-development-growth-and/) William H. Douglas > [Nations are beginning to look to some vague organization, some nebulous course of humanity, to pay their bills and tell them what to do.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/nations-are-beginning-to-look-to-some-vague-organization-some/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [May it be to the world... to assume the blessings and security of self-government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/may-it-be-to-the-world-to-assume-the-blessings-and-security-of-self/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) ## More by Dwight Morrow > [Try, if you can, to belong to the first class. There's far less competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-morrow/try-if-you-can-to-belong-to-the-first-class-there-s-far-less/) Dwight Morrow > [Any party which takes credit for the rain must not be surprised if its opponents blame it for the drought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-morrow/any-party-which-takes-credit-for-the-rain-must-not-be-surprised-if/) Dwight Morrow > [The world is devided into two people who do things and people who get credit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-morrow/the-world-is-devided-into-two-people-who-do-things-and-people-who-get/) Dwight Morrow Explore all 4 Dwight Morrow quotes ## More Convinced quotes > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-sarabhai/but-we-are-convinced-that-if-we-are-to-play-a-meaningful-role/) [Vikram Sarabhai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-sarabhai/) > [I am convinced that we will never build a democratic state based on rule of law if we do not at the same time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/i-am-convinced-that-we-will-never-build-a-democratic-state-based-on/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [Be convinced that to be happy means to be free and that to be free means to be brave. Therefore do not take lightly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/be-convinced-that-to-be-happy-means-to-be-free-and-that-to-be-free/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [I'm convinced I will be cleared of all these charges that were unfairly leveled against me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-estrada/i-m-convinced-i-will-be-cleared-of-all-these-charges-that-were/) [Joseph Estrada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-estrada/) > [You imagine that I look back on my life's work with calm satisfaction. But from nearby it looks quite different. There is not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/you-imagine-that-i-look-back-on-my-life-s-work-with-calm-satisfaction/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm convinced the fall of Aleppo will not end the war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federica-mogherini/i-m-convinced-the-fall-of-aleppo-will-not-end-the-war/) [Federica Mogherini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federica-mogherini/) > [The male dares to be different to the degree that he accepts his passivity and his desire to be female, his fagginess. The farthest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-solanas/the-male-dares-to-be-different-to-the-degree-that-he-accepts-his/) [Valerie Solanas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-solanas/) > [I cannot be convinced that great artists are moralists. Art is first appearances, then meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/i-cannot-be-convinced-that-great-artists-are-moralists-art-is-first/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [In high school I had sex with girls quite a few times. They were straight women who I convinced to jump in the sack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/portia-de-rossi/in-high-school-i-had-sex-with-girls-quite-a-few-times-they-were/) [Portia de Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/portia-de-rossi/) > [Adults look upon a child as something empty that is to be filled through their own efforts, as something inert and helpless for which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/adults-look-upon-a-child-as-something-empty-that-is-to-be-filled/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [ The fact that an Englishman has an Argentinian as an idol is very rare. I keep watching my \[title-winning\] goal against QPR and every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-aguero/the-fact-that-an-englishman-has-an-argentinian-as-an-idol-is-very/) [Sergio Aguero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-aguero/) > [In the formation of such a government, it is not only the right, but the indispensable duty of every citizen to examine the principles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-webster/in-the-formation-of-such-a-government-it-is-not-only-the-right-but/) [Noah Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-webster/) > [I'm not convinced that the world is in any worse shape than it ever was. It's just that in this age of almost instantaneous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-vaughan/i-m-not-convinced-that-the-world-is-in-any-worse-shape-than-it-ever/) [Bill Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-vaughan/) > [“I become convinced that you have to live in the world to say anything meaningful about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-garc-a/i-become-convinced-that-you-have-to-live-in-the-world-to-say-anything/) [Cristina García](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-garc-a/) Browse all 1,815 Convinced quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As I get older ... 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