--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whatever people's backgrounds or values…" description: "\"Whatever people's backgrounds or values, a society where more and more people face a daily struggle to house, clothe and even feed themselves and their..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d8/emily-thornberry-6730_community_whatever-people-s-backgrounds-or-values_899710.jpg" --- # Whatever people's backgrounds or values, a society where… ![“Whatever people's backgrounds or values, a society where more and more people face a daily struggle to house, clothe and even feed themselves and their families cannot possibly be the answer.” quote by Emily Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d8/emily-thornberry-6730_community_whatever-people-s-backgrounds-or-values_899710.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d8/emily-thornberry-6730_community_whatever-people-s-backgrounds-or-values_899710.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d8/emily-thornberry-6730_community_whatever-people-s-backgrounds-or-values_899710.jpg) > “Whatever people's backgrounds or values, a society where more and more people face a daily struggle to house, clothe and even feed themselves and their families cannot possibly be the answer.” [Emily Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thornberry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A society with widespread basic‑needs insecurity cannot be a true solution; systemic inequality persists despite individual efforts. **In simple terms:** Basic needs insecurity shows systemic failure. Key Takeaway Address systemic inequality, not just symptoms. Themes social justice economic inequality housing crisis Mood urgent determined Type political activist When to use this quote - government policy - community organizing - non‑profit advocacy - urban planning Key Concepts public policy wealth distribution human rights Questions to Reflect On - How can policies empower individuals while fixing systemic gaps? - What role should community support play? A Different Perspective Some argue personal responsibility also matters; focus on both. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Daily struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/daily-struggle/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [Marx saw exploitation in terms of the rewards of human labor, but we can see it in terms of all the values of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-reich/marx-saw-exploitation-in-terms-of-the-rewards-of-human-labor-but-we/) [Charles A. Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-reich/) > [The transmission of values from one generation to the next is the single most important task of the society. ...What am I doing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashcroft/the-transmission-of-values-from-one-generation-to-the-next-is-the/) [John Ashcroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashcroft/) > [“Although a legal system is rooted in the values of its society, it also has an independent dynamic, with principles, language, and rules of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-p-trachtman/although-a-legal-system-is-rooted-in-the-values-of-its-society-it/) [Joel P. Trachtman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-p-trachtman/) > [There is a great need for the introduction of new values in our society, where bigger is not necessarily better, where slower can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaylord-nelson/there-is-a-great-need-for-the-introduction-of-new-values-in-our/) [Gaylord Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaylord-nelson/) > [The most important factor for the development of the individual is the structure and the values of the society into which he was born.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-most-important-factor-for-the-development-of-the-individual-is/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [We need to look at the whole society and think, "Are we actually thinking about what we're doing as we go forward, and are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-berners-lee/we-need-to-look-at-the-whole-society-and-think-are-we-actually/) [Tim Berners-Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-berners-lee/) > [The purpose of our justice system is to reflect the values of our society and to punish those who violate our standards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/the-purpose-of-our-justice-system-is-to-reflect-the-values-of-our/) [Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/) > [It seems to me that we're in danger of losing sight of certain basic civic values in society by allowing the growth of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/it-seems-to-me-that-we-re-in-danger-of-losing-sight-of-certain-basic/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [We do have to ask ourselves as a culture, what do we want to be? You know, what are our founding values? And if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/we-do-have-to-ask-ourselves-as-a-culture-what-do-we-want-to-be-you/) [Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/) > [We'll have a different set of values, and society will adapt. That doesn't mean these changes are all good, just because we will accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reischauer/we-ll-have-a-different-set-of-values-and-society-will-adapt-that/) Robert Reischauer > [The best chess masters of every epoch have been closely linked with the values of the society in which they lived and worked. 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It enables ordinary citizens to seek redress when the government breaches fundamental freedoms enshrined in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thornberry/the-human-rights-act-is-not-a-terrorists-charter-it-enables-ordinary/) [Emily Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thornberry/) > [The Fraud Act 2006 makes it perfectly clear that Libor rigging is prosecutable as a criminal offence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thornberry/the-fraud-act-2006-makes-it-perfectly-clear-that-libor-rigging-is/) [Emily Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thornberry/) > [Given that GPs are essentially a private part of our health care system, providing services independently of the rest of the health service, NHS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thornberry/given-that-gps-are-essentially-a-private-part-of-our-health-care/) [Emily Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thornberry/) > [It's often been said that politics in Islington, in many ways, begins and ends with housing, and it's not hard to see why. 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This is one nation and there is one criminal law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thornberry/the-financial-elite-do-not-need-special-laws-for-themselves-this-is/) [Emily Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thornberry/) > [When one party is really unpopular, like the Conservatives in 1997, AV can really skew the result disproportionately against them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thornberry/when-one-party-is-really-unpopular-like-the-conservatives-in-1997-av/) [Emily Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thornberry/) > [All the evidence shows that establishing the habit of voting as early as possible is a vital tool in making sure that it's maintained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thornberry/all-the-evidence-shows-that-establishing-the-habit-of-voting-as-early/) [Emily Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thornberry/) > [There was a time when a certain type of Tory could have been relied on to swing from the chandeliers in defence of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thornberry/there-was-a-time-when-a-certain-type-of-tory-could-have-been-relied/) [Emily Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thornberry/) > [We need to build on our diplomatic networks, and the unrivalled expertise of our Foreign Office, to project a positive image for Britain as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thornberry/we-need-to-build-on-our-diplomatic-networks-and-the-unrivalled/) [Emily Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thornberry/) > [Carving out our own role, distinct from America's, might not be easy. But we must ask ourselves: what alternative is there? Unthinking, uncritical loyalty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thornberry/carving-out-our-own-role-distinct-from-america-s-might-not-be-easy/) [Emily Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thornberry/) > [Why the Tories are happy to subsidise home ownership for middle class graduates and affluent social tenants, but not for widows on low incomes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thornberry/why-the-tories-are-happy-to-subsidise-home-ownership-for-middle-class/) [Emily Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thornberry/) [Explore all 98 Emily Thornberry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thornberry/) ## More Community quotes > [Race is the idea that a human being is more superior than another human being, race in society grants illusional rights to mistreat each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/race-is-the-idea-that-a-human-being-is-more-superior-than-another/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [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/) > [In the hearing world, I'm constantly having to lip-read and trying to understand what's going on. 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