--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You're either part of the solution or…" description: "\"You're either part of the solution or you're part of the problem.\" — Eldridge Cleaver" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb8/eldridge-cleaver-15004_idaho_you-re-either-part-of-the-solution-or-yo_2067070.jpg" --- # You're either part of the solution or you're part of the… ![“You're either part of the solution or you're part of the problem.” quote by Eldridge Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb8/eldridge-cleaver-15004_idaho_you-re-either-part-of-the-solution-or-yo_2067070.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb8/eldridge-cleaver-15004_idaho_you-re-either-part-of-the-solution-or-yo_2067070.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb8/eldridge-cleaver-15004_idaho_you-re-either-part-of-the-solution-or-yo_2067070.jpg) > “You're either part of the solution or you're part of the problem.” [Eldridge Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eldridge-cleaver/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Individuals must choose to contribute positively or perpetuate problems, emphasizing personal responsibility. **In simple terms:** Be part of the solution, not the problem. Key Takeaway Take responsibility for change. Themes activism ethics choice society Mood determined urgent Type political motivational When to use this quote - community organizing - voting - workplace initiatives Key Concepts political theory personal agency Questions to Reflect On - What role will you play? - How can you influence others positively? A Different Perspective Solutions require collective effort, not just individuals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Problem solving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem-solving/) ## Related quotes > [Be part of the solution, not part of the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/be-part-of-the-solution-not-part-of-the-problem/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Every solution has a problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hargreaves/every-solution-has-a-problem/) [Andy Hargreaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hargreaves/) > [Whatever creativity is, it is in part a solution to a problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-aldiss/whatever-creativity-is-it-is-in-part-a-solution-to-a-problem/) [Brian Aldiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-aldiss/) > [“If you are not a part of the solution, you are a part of the problem.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eldridge-cleaver/if-you-are-not-a-part-of-the-solution-you-are-a-part-of-the-problem/) [Eldridge Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eldridge-cleaver/) > [It's not that they can't see the solution. They can't see the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-not-that-they-can-t-see-the-solution-they-can-t-see-the-problem/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Every problem has a solution And Every solution has a problem But what could be the solution in solving every problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-nijjar/every-problem-has-a-solution-and-every-solution-has-a-problem-but/) [Mandy Nijjar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-nijjar/) > [“Nothing could be counted on in a world where even when you were a solution you were a problem.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/nothing-could-be-counted-on-in-a-world-where-even-when-you-were-a/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [Government is not a solution to our problem government is the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/government-is-not-a-solution-to-our-problem-government-is-the-problem/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [A job is a short term solution to a long term problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/a-job-is-a-short-term-solution-to-a-long-term-problem/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [Whatever the problem, be part of the solution. Don’t just sit around raising questions and pointing out obstacles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/whatever-the-problem-be-part-of-the-solution-don-t-just-sit-around/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [The government solution to a problem is usually as bad as the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-government-solution-to-a-problem-is-usually-as-bad-as-the-problem/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [The best work for creative folks on the team is when the problem is big and the solution escapes everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-sinofsky/the-best-work-for-creative-folks-on-the-team-is-when-the-problem-is/) [Steven Sinofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-sinofsky/) > [If there is a better solution... find it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/if-there-is-a-better-solution-find-it/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [There was no answer, no solution, no sop, no deliverance. What, then, did I do? I read faster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/there-was-no-answer-no-solution-no-sop-no-deliverance-what-then-did-i/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [Our problems are opportunities to discover God's solutions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/our-problems-are-opportunities-to-discover-god-s-solutions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Eldridge Cleaver > [The myth of the strong black woman is the other side of the coin of the myth of the beautiful dumb blonde.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eldridge-cleaver/the-myth-of-the-strong-black-woman-is-the-other-side-of-the-coin-of/) [Eldridge Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eldridge-cleaver/) > [In the increasingly mechanized, automated, cybernated environment of the modern world a cold, bodiless world of wheels, smooth plastic surfaces, tubes, pushbuttons, transistors, computers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eldridge-cleaver/in-the-increasingly-mechanized-automated-cybernated-environment-of/) [Eldridge Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eldridge-cleaver/) > [If God himself wills such misery on people whom I love, then I say I will deal with him](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eldridge-cleaver/if-god-himself-wills-such-misery-on-people-whom-i-love-then-i-say-i/) [Eldridge Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eldridge-cleaver/) > [“I may even swagger a little, and, as I read in a book somewhere, 'push myself forward like a train.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eldridge-cleaver/i-may-even-swagger-a-little-and-as-i-read-in-a-book-somewhere-push/) [Eldridge Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eldridge-cleaver/) > [The most revolutionary statement in history is "Love thine enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eldridge-cleaver/the-most-revolutionary-statement-in-history-is-love-thine-enemy/) [Eldridge Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eldridge-cleaver/) > [I know that the black man's sick attitude toward the white woman is a revolutionary sickness: it keeps him perpetually out of harmony with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eldridge-cleaver/i-know-that-the-black-man-s-sick-attitude-toward-the-white-woman-is-a/) [Eldridge Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eldridge-cleaver/) > [Americans think of themselves collectively as a huge rescue squad on twenty-four hour call to any spot on the globe where dispute and conflict…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eldridge-cleaver/americans-think-of-themselves-collectively-as-a-huge-rescue-squad-on/) [Eldridge Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eldridge-cleaver/) > [With all its faults, the American political system is the freest and most democratic in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eldridge-cleaver/with-all-its-faults-the-american-political-system-is-the-freest-and/) [Eldridge Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eldridge-cleaver/) > [I've gone beyond civil rights and human rights to creation rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eldridge-cleaver/i-ve-gone-beyond-civil-rights-and-human-rights-to-creation-rights/) [Eldridge Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eldridge-cleaver/) > [“If you are not a part of the solution, you are a part of the problem.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eldridge-cleaver/if-you-are-not-a-part-of-the-solution-you-are-a-part-of-the-problem/) [Eldridge Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eldridge-cleaver/) > [“Respect commands itself and it can neither be given nor withheld when it is due.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eldridge-cleaver/respect-commands-itself-and-it-can-neither-be-given-nor-withheld-when/) [Eldridge Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eldridge-cleaver/) > [The racist conscience of America is such that murder does not register as murder really, unless the victim is white... blacks knew that white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eldridge-cleaver/the-racist-conscience-of-america-is-such-that-murder-does-not/) [Eldridge Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eldridge-cleaver/) > [Every time I embrace a black woman I’m embracing slavery, and when I put my arms around a white woman, well, I’m hugging freedom.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eldridge-cleaver/every-time-i-embrace-a-black-woman-i-m-embracing-slavery-and-when-i/) [Eldridge Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eldridge-cleaver/) > [The price of hating other human beings is loving oneself less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eldridge-cleaver/the-price-of-hating-other-human-beings-is-loving-oneself-less/) [Eldridge Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eldridge-cleaver/) > [“I have tried to mislead you. I am not humble at all. I have no humility and I do not fear you in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eldridge-cleaver/i-have-tried-to-mislead-you-i-am-not-humble-at-all-i-have-no-humility/) [Eldridge Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eldridge-cleaver/) [Explore all 44 Eldridge Cleaver quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eldridge-cleaver/) ## More Idaho quotes > [The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program is a very effective way to raise awareness and consumption of two vital food groups that are sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dean-crapo/the-fresh-fruit-and-vegetable-program-is-a-very-effective-way-to/) Michael Dean Crapo > [I have buddies who say, 'Where are you living ? Wyoming or something? Don't you still have a house in California?' I tell them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-palmer/i-have-buddies-who-say-where-are-you-living-wyoming-or-something-don/) [Carson Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-palmer/) > [I grew up on a lake on the border of Washington and Idaho.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-sweeney/i-grew-up-on-a-lake-on-the-border-of-washington-and-idaho/) [Sydney Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-sweeney/) > [Set in the remote and harsh high desert landscape of Idaho, Outpost is an artist live/work studio and sculpture garden for making and displaying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-kundig/set-in-the-remote-and-harsh-high-desert-landscape-of-idaho-outpost-is/) Tom Kundig > [The first record I bought was a Carl Perkins record, because I saw him at The Festival at Sandpoint, Idaho. I loved Elvis and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-homme/the-first-record-i-bought-was-a-carl-perkins-record-because-i-saw-him/) [Josh Homme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-homme/) > [What the Idaho Health Freedom Act says is that the citizens of our state won't be subject to another federal mandate or turn over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butch-otter/what-the-idaho-health-freedom-act-says-is-that-the-citizens-of-our/) [Butch Otter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/butch-otter/) > [Man, I smashed her like an Idaho Potato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mos-def/man-i-smashed-her-like-an-idaho-potato/) [Mos Def](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mos-def/) > [For a variety of reasons, I believe, the time is right to resolve many of the long standing and thorny land use, recreation, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-k-simpson/for-a-variety-of-reasons-i-believe-the-time-is-right-to-resolve-many/) [Michael K. Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-k-simpson/) > [I loved to dance and went to Studio 54 at least twice a week. But I always felt nervous around the people there. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaux-hemingway/i-loved-to-dance-and-went-to-studio-54-at-least-twice-a-week-but-i/) [Margaux Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaux-hemingway/) > [“I like the idea of different theres and elsewheres, an Idaho known for bluegrass, a Bronx where people talk like violets smell. Perhaps I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hicok/i-like-the-idea-of-different-theres-and-elsewheres-an-idaho-known-for/) [bob hicok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hicok/) > [I've given up wanting to make a killing or be a bigshot. I just want to find happiness and maybe open up a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/i-ve-given-up-wanting-to-make-a-killing-or-be-a-bigshot-i-just-want/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [I was born and raised in Pocatello, Idaho.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taysom-hill/i-was-born-and-raised-in-pocatello-idaho/) [Taysom Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taysom-hill/) > [As children, we had access to all the open space imaginable. We would set up camps in rural Utah where the Tempest Company was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/as-children-we-had-access-to-all-the-open-space-imaginable-we-would/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [The people in the Upper Midwest were the same kind of people I grew up around in Idaho.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harmon-killebrew/the-people-in-the-upper-midwest-were-the-same-kind-of-people-i-grew/) [Harmon Killebrew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harmon-killebrew/) > [I didn't even have a birth certificate until I was 9 years old, which meant that, according to the state of Idaho and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-didn-t-even-have-a-birth-certificate-until-i-was-9-years-old-which/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) Browse all 80 Idaho quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You're either part of the solution or you're part of the problem.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eldridge Cleaver" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eldridge-cleaver/you-re-either-part-of-the-solution-or-you-re-part-of-the-problem/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Idaho" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eldridge-cleaver/you-re-either-part-of-the-solution-or-you-re-part-of-the-problem/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb8/eldridge-cleaver-15004_idaho_you-re-either-part-of-the-solution-or-yo_2067070.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb8/eldridge-cleaver-15004_idaho_you-re-either-part-of-the-solution-or-yo_2067070.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb8/eldridge-cleaver-15004_idaho_you-re-either-part-of-the-solution-or-yo_2067070.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You're either part of the solution or you're part of the problem.” — Eldridge Cleaver", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Eldridge Cleaver", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eldridge-cleaver/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You're either part of the solution...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eldridge-cleaver/you-re-either-part-of-the-solution-or-you-re-part-of-the-problem/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eldridge-cleaver/you-re-either-part-of-the-solution-or-you-re-part-of-the-problem/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```