--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I look at modern life and I see people…" description: "\"I look at modern life and I see people not taking responsibility for their lives. The temptation to blame, to find external causes to one's own issues ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90f/edward-zwick-24586_blame_i-look-at-modern-life-and-i-see-people-n_1761660.jpg" --- # I look at modern life and I see people not taking… ![“I look at modern life and I see people not taking responsibility for their lives. The temptation to blame, to find external causes to one's own issues is something that is particularly modern. I know that personally I find that sense of responsibility interesting.” quote by Edward Zwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90f/edward-zwick-24586_blame_i-look-at-modern-life-and-i-see-people-n_1761660.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90f/edward-zwick-24586_blame_i-look-at-modern-life-and-i-see-people-n_1761660.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90f/edward-zwick-24586_blame_i-look-at-modern-life-and-i-see-people-n_1761660.jpg) > “I look at modern life and I see people not taking responsibility for their lives. The temptation to blame, to find external causes to one's own issues is something that is particularly modern. I know that personally I find that sense of responsibility interesting.” [Edward Zwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-zwick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Modern life often shifts blame outward, avoiding personal accountability, which hampers growth. **In simple terms:** People avoid owning their choices. Key Takeaway Own your choices. Themes responsibility self-awareness modernity Mood critical contemplative Type sociological motivational When to use this quote - workplace - relationships - personal development - political discourse Key Concepts blame shifting personal agency social critique Questions to Reflect On - What drives you to blame external factors? - How can you foster responsibility in others? A Different Perspective Blame avoidance can be a coping mechanism, not just laziness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Modern life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-life/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Sense of responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense-of-responsibility/) [Taking responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taking-responsibility/) [Temptation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temptation/) ## Related quotes > [We need the conviction to be able to think for ourselves and to take action outof our own sense of responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senora-roy/we-need-the-conviction-to-be-able-to-think-for-ourselves-and-to-take/) [Senora Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senora-roy/) > [When you want to encourage a greater sense of responsibility in others (and yourself) emphasize the anticipation of accomplishment, not the penalties for failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-crawford/when-you-want-to-encourage-a-greater-sense-of-responsibility-in/) [Roger Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-crawford/) > [I'm very good at delegating - people work much better when they have a real sense of responsibility. But at the same time, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-wintour/i-m-very-good-at-delegating-people-work-much-better-when-they-have-a/) [Anna Wintour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-wintour/) > [A father, son, husband or just a friend, a sense of responsibility best describes a person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikitin-dheer/a-father-son-husband-or-just-a-friend-a-sense-of-responsibility-best/) [Nikitin Dheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikitin-dheer/) > [I'm a pessimist. But I'm a pessimist with a sense of responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-m-a-pessimist-but-i-m-a-pessimist-with-a-sense-of-responsibility/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [You wouldn't be human if you didn't feel both a sense of responsibility and a deep sadness for those who have lost their lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/you-wouldn-t-be-human-if-you-didn-t-feel-both-a-sense-of/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [“If acts of service do not come naturally for you, it is still a love language worth acquiring. It is a way of expressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-chapman/if-acts-of-service-do-not-come-naturally-for-you-it-is-still-a-love/) [Gary Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-chapman/) > [The fact of the matter is I always have a really high sense of responsibility to the reader, whether it's a few readers that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-strout/the-fact-of-the-matter-is-i-always-have-a-really-high-sense-of/) [Elizabeth Strout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-strout/) > [One must hold a deep sense of responsibility for his thoughts and actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishu/one-must-hold-a-deep-sense-of-responsibility-for-his-thoughts-and/) [Nishu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishu/) > [“Modeling is the secret to instilling a sense of responsibility about personal belongings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-fay/modeling-is-the-secret-to-instilling-a-sense-of-responsibility-about/) [Jim Fay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-fay/) > [“When you no longer make the distinction between the universe and how you are acting upon it, you are really on your own and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-wilson-watts/when-you-no-longer-make-the-distinction-between-the-universe-and-how/) [Alan Wilson Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-wilson-watts/) > [“Your generation has no sense of responsibility to a group, a calling higher than your own. You treat random friends like family and family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-braswell/your-generation-has-no-sense-of-responsibility-to-a-group-a-calling/) [Liz Braswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-braswell/) > [Enlightenment requires discipline, balance, knowledge, power, happiness and a sense of responsibility and sacrifice, being able to do things with your life that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightenment-requires-discipline-balance-knowledge-power-happiness/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Plato long ago pointed out the importance of being governed by men with sufficient sense of responsibility and comprehension of public duties to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/plato-long-ago-pointed-out-the-importance-of-being-governed-by-men/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“His sense of responsibility toward his family was everything to him. Everything. He didn't care if his obligations made him do things that caused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-kage/his-sense-of-responsibility-toward-his-family-was-everything-to-him/) [Linda Kage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-kage/) ## More by Edward Zwick > [There is no reason why challenging themes and engaging stories have to be mutually exclusive - in fact, each can fuel the other. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-zwick/there-is-no-reason-why-challenging-themes-and-engaging-stories-have/) [Edward Zwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-zwick/) > [ And how deeply do I let business considerations affect \[screenwriting\] choices that might otherwise be more or less esthetic? . . . Do I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-zwick/and-how-deeply-do-i-let-business-considerations-affect-screenwriting/) [Edward Zwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-zwick/) > [I maintain that no movie can be funny enough. I mean even the most serious, even the most intense movie and I know enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-zwick/i-maintain-that-no-movie-can-be-funny-enough-i-mean-even-the-most/) [Edward Zwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-zwick/) > [I think it's too easy often to find a villain out of the headlines and to then repeat that villainy again and again and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-zwick/i-think-it-s-too-easy-often-to-find-a-villain-out-of-the-headlines/) [Edward Zwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-zwick/) > [To make a great movie is such a combination of different things that need to come into play to actually make a memorable film…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-zwick/to-make-a-great-movie-is-such-a-combination-of-different-things-that/) [Edward Zwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-zwick/) > [I have nothing against diamonds, or rubies or emeralds or sapphires. I do object when their acquisition is complicit in the debasement of children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-zwick/i-have-nothing-against-diamonds-or-rubies-or-emeralds-or-sapphires-i/) [Edward Zwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-zwick/) > [There is a segment of the American population that has been excluded from the national myth, and that should be redressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-zwick/there-is-a-segment-of-the-american-population-that-has-been-excluded/) [Edward Zwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-zwick/) > [There is no reason why challenging themes and engaging stories have to be mutually exclusive - in fact, each can fuel the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-zwick/there-is-no-reason-why-challenging-themes-and-engaging-stories-have-2/) [Edward Zwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-zwick/) > [I think one of the privileges of being a filmmaker is the opportunity to remain a kind of perpetual student.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-zwick/i-think-one-of-the-privileges-of-being-a-filmmaker-is-the-opportunity/) [Edward Zwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-zwick/) > [I don't think it's a prize when actors and directors or writers and actors work together more than once. You have a trust and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-zwick/i-don-t-think-it-s-a-prize-when-actors-and-directors-or-writers-and/) [Edward Zwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-zwick/) > [There is something universal in the theme of a man trying to save his family in the midst of the most terrible circumstances. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-zwick/there-is-something-universal-in-the-theme-of-a-man-trying-to-save-his/) [Edward Zwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-zwick/) > [I don't think movies can ever be too intense, but people have to understand why you're showing them the things you are showing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-zwick/i-don-t-think-movies-can-ever-be-too-intense-but-people-have-to/) [Edward Zwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-zwick/) > [It seems that almost every time a valuable natural resource is discovered in the world-whether it be diamonds, rubber, gold, oil, whatever-often what results…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-zwick/it-seems-that-almost-every-time-a-valuable-natural-resource-is/) [Edward Zwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-zwick/) > [Samurai culture did exist really, for hundreds of years and the notion of people trying to create some sort of a moral code, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-zwick/samurai-culture-did-exist-really-for-hundreds-of-years-and-the-notion/) [Edward Zwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-zwick/) > [ However much I may like to talk about or be interested in a more philosophical or moral agenda, \[film\] is, ultimately, about narrative. And… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-zwick/however-much-i-may-like-to-talk-about-or-be-interested-in-a-more/) [Edward Zwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-zwick/) [Explore all 24 Edward Zwick quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-zwick/) ## More Blame quotes > [“I have to blame myself for not finding any way of reaching him, but I can't feel that either Ruth or I had anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-have-to-blame-myself-for-not-finding-any-way-of-reaching-him-but-i/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [Me mum used to always have the radio on - even now she has it on in every room. Me girlfriend sort of blames…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/me-mum-used-to-always-have-the-radio-on-even-now-she-has-it-on-in/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [I like to praise and reward loudly, to blame quietly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-the-great/i-like-to-praise-and-reward-loudly-to-blame-quietly/) [Catherine the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-the-great/) > [Some of the things that I said I hated to say, but blame yourself mother fucker you made it this way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jedi-mind-tricks/some-of-the-things-that-i-said-i-hated-to-say-but-blame-yourself/) [Jedi Mind Tricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jedi-mind-tricks/) > [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“In places where government priorities and market imperatives create a world so capricious that to help a neighbor is to risk your ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-boo/in-places-where-government-priorities-and-market-imperatives-create-a/) [Katherine Boo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-boo/) > [“Stop Blaming Others For Your Own Actions”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-g-roldan/stop-blaming-others-for-your-own-actions/) [Alexis G. Roldan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-g-roldan/) > [We know from this book entitled... What is it? Surrendered? Succumbed? I can never remember the title perform. And we learn from this book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-know-from-this-book-entitled-what-is-it-surrendered-succumbed-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't blame anyone .. I did this to myself .. It's my fault .. Everything is my FAULT ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nurnizz95/i-don-t-blame-anyone-i-did-this-to-myself-it-s-my-fault-everything-is/) Nurnizz95 > [“They would congratulate themselves every morning on keeping their integrity, and blame themselves each night for that missed opportunity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/they-would-congratulate-themselves-every-morning-on-keeping-their/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I try to live my life where I end up at a point where I have no regrets. So I try to choose the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-aronofsky/i-try-to-live-my-life-where-i-end-up-at-a-point-where-i-have-no/) [Darren Aronofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-aronofsky/) > [How come you don't feel that magic in the air? I guess I knew you'll never be there. I guess I knew you never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-come-you-don-t-feel-that-magic-in-the-air-i-guess-i-knew-you-ll/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am down mentally. I can't understand how it happened and who is to blame? I don't know why the ground was rolled before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yeasin-khan/i-am-down-mentally-i-can-t-understand-how-it-happened-and-who-is-to/) Yeasin Khan > [A refusal to admit one's mistake & not accepting responsibility for that mistake by blaming everyone else, is d beginning of one's decline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-refusal-to-admit-one-s-mistake-not-accepting-responsibility-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Listen, the guy was not created by coverage from MSNBC and CNN. If you want to blame us for making Donald Trump president because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-tur/listen-the-guy-was-not-created-by-coverage-from-msnbc-and-cnn-if-you/) [Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/) Browse all 3,779 Blame quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I look at modern life and I see people not taking responsibility for their lives. 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