--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Society imposes low expectations of those…" description: "\"Society imposes low expectations of those who have disabilities”\" — Erik Weihenmayer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/733/erik-weihenmayer-24419_disabilities_society-imposes-low-expectations-of-thos_663912.png" --- # Society imposes low expectations of those who have… ![“Society imposes low expectations of those who have disabilities”” quote by Erik Weihenmayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/733/erik-weihenmayer-24419_disabilities_society-imposes-low-expectations-of-thos_663912.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/733/erik-weihenmayer-24419_disabilities_society-imposes-low-expectations-of-thos_663912.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/733/erik-weihenmayer-24419_disabilities_society-imposes-low-expectations-of-thos_663912.png) > “Society imposes low expectations of those who have disabilities”” [Erik Weihenmayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-weihenmayer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Society often underestimates people with disabilities, imposing low expectations. **In simple terms:** Society sets low expectations for disabled people. Key Takeaway Raise expectations for all. Themes disability inclusion expectations Mood empathetic hopeful Type advocacy motivational When to use this quote - education - employment - sports - public policy Key Concepts Social bias potential undervaluation Questions to Reflect On - How can you challenge low expectations? - What resources empower disabled individuals? A Different Perspective Systemic barriers can persist despite attitudes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Disabilities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disabilities/) [Disability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disability/) [Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) [Low expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/low-expectations/) ## Related quotes > [I think there are low expectations of people with disabilities - sometimes you'll come down a set of steps into a taxi and people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-mccausland/i-think-there-are-low-expectations-of-people-with-disabilities/) [Chris McCausland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-mccausland/) > [“The very way you think places you among its enemies. This might not be your fault, because every society imposes some of its values…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-m-banks/the-very-way-you-think-places-you-among-its-enemies-this-might-not-be/) [Iain M. Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-m-banks/) > [“Widespread distrust in a society…imposes a kind of tax on all forms of economic activity, a tax that high-trust societies do not have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/widespread-distrust-in-a-society-imposes-a-kind-of-tax-on-all-forms/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [Society imposes an identity on you because of the way you look. Your struggle as a self has to do with an identity being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-seshadri/society-imposes-an-identity-on-you-because-of-the-way-you-look-your/) [Vijay Seshadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-seshadri/) > [When an individual is awake, almost all he does and says is inspired by the model of behavior that the society imposes,even without his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/when-an-individual-is-awake-almost-all-he-does-and-says-is-inspired/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [We’ve been sold this lie that disability makes you exceptional and it honestly doesn’t. … I want to live in a world where we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/we-ve-been-sold-this-lie-that-disability-makes-you-exceptional-and-it/) [Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/) > [“Not being able to talk sucks. There's no doubt about that. There's a lot of times when I almost feel like I'm trapped inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keary-taylor/not-being-able-to-talk-sucks-there-s-no-doubt-about-that-there-s-a/) [Keary Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keary-taylor/) > [There are people with physical disabilities that prevent them from having any hope - in some cases any actual hope and in other cases…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallin-h-oaks/there-are-people-with-physical-disabilities-that-prevent-them-from/) [Dallin H. Oaks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallin-h-oaks/) > [Whether you know it or not, when you leave one of my shows, you have a different understanding of disabilities and what disability is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-blue/whether-you-know-it-or-not-when-you-leave-one-of-my-shows-you-have-a/) [Josh Blue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-blue/) > [Our real disabilities come from inside us, don't tell yourself you can't do something, keep on trying and if one way doesn't work try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/our-real-disabilities-come-from-inside-us-don-t-tell-yourself-you-can/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [Barring extreme physical and mental disabilities, each and every one of us is where we are today -- be it poor or wealthy, happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-boortz/barring-extreme-physical-and-mental-disabilities-each-and-every-one/) [Neal Boortz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-boortz/) > [A lot of roles for people with disabilities are quite patronising. It's a real pity when they are just used to give dull PC…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-haddon/a-lot-of-roles-for-people-with-disabilities-are-quite-patronising-it/) [Mark Haddon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-haddon/) > [“Disabilities are not inspiration, they are messages that need to be addressed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-david-o-brien/disabilities-are-not-inspiration-they-are-messages-that-need-to-be/) Marc David O'Brien > [There's a wide variety of diversity, with people that have disabilities from R.J. Mitte in 'Breaking Bad' to Danny Woodburn being a little man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-brewer/there-s-a-wide-variety-of-diversity-with-people-that-have/) [Jamie Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-brewer/) > [It feels amazing to be a role model for people with and without disabilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-potter/it-feels-amazing-to-be-a-role-model-for-people-with-and-without/) [Lauren Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-potter/) ## More by Erik Weihenmayer > [What a thrill to be able to say that you had a contribution in the life of someone - a young person, perhaps, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-weihenmayer/what-a-thrill-to-be-able-to-say-that-you-had-a-contribution-in-the/) [Erik Weihenmayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-weihenmayer/) > [Success is not just the crowning moment, the spiking of the ball in the end zone or the raising of the flag on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-weihenmayer/success-is-not-just-the-crowning-moment-the-spiking-of-the-ball-in/) [Erik Weihenmayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-weihenmayer/) > [It's kind of too movie-like to say, "When I started climbing, I knew I wanted to climb Everest some day." Instead, I just started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-weihenmayer/it-s-kind-of-too-movie-like-to-say-when-i-started-climbing-i-knew-i/) [Erik Weihenmayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-weihenmayer/) > [The key is to really have tremendously high expectations and to teach kids how to be self sufficient and confident and give them the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-weihenmayer/the-key-is-to-really-have-tremendously-high-expectations-and-to-teach/) [Erik Weihenmayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-weihenmayer/) > [Maybe people, maybe the world writes things off as impossible a little too quickly, when they really aren't - when they just haven't reached…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-weihenmayer/maybe-people-maybe-the-world-writes-things-off-as-impossible-a-little/) [Erik Weihenmayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-weihenmayer/) > [When I went blind at 13, I realized that I wasn't going to be a good baseball or basketball player like I enjoyed before.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-weihenmayer/when-i-went-blind-at-13-i-realized-that-i-wasn-t-going-to-be-a-good/) [Erik Weihenmayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-weihenmayer/) > [There is a very blurry line between the things we can't do and the things that we can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-weihenmayer/there-is-a-very-blurry-line-between-the-things-we-can-t-do-and-the/) [Erik Weihenmayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-weihenmayer/) > [Confidence without skill is just emptiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-weihenmayer/confidence-without-skill-is-just-emptiness/) [Erik Weihenmayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-weihenmayer/) > [I decided to become a teacher because I thought it would be a great career where I could wear different hats. You're an academic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-weihenmayer/i-decided-to-become-a-teacher-because-i-thought-it-would-be-a-great/) [Erik Weihenmayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-weihenmayer/) > [People have the inner resources to become anything they want to be. Challenge just becomes the vehicle for tapping into those inner resources.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-weihenmayer/people-have-the-inner-resources-to-become-anything-they-want-to-be/) [Erik Weihenmayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-weihenmayer/) > [You don't just deal with adversity. You use it to propel you forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-weihenmayer/you-don-t-just-deal-with-adversity-you-use-it-to-propel-you-forward/) [Erik Weihenmayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-weihenmayer/) > [You can't have self confidence without some real skills that enable you to be successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-weihenmayer/you-can-t-have-self-confidence-without-some-real-skills-that-enable/) [Erik Weihenmayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-weihenmayer/) > [The truth is that adversity is a part of most days. Whether you are ultimately weakened or strengthened by each event, or the accumulation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-weihenmayer/the-truth-is-that-adversity-is-a-part-of-most-days-whether-you-are/) [Erik Weihenmayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-weihenmayer/) > [It is exciting to kind of figure things out in yourself and then use other people to help you figure things out so you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-weihenmayer/it-is-exciting-to-kind-of-figure-things-out-in-yourself-and-then-use/) [Erik Weihenmayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-weihenmayer/) > [When I'm following someone, I'm listening to a bear bell strapped to their packs. When I'm leading on a climb, like on a rock,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-weihenmayer/when-i-m-following-someone-i-m-listening-to-a-bear-bell-strapped-to/) [Erik Weihenmayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-weihenmayer/) [Explore all 24 Erik Weihenmayer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-weihenmayer/) ## More Disabilities quotes > [Regarding lack of vision or disabilities of the organ of sight, it has long been known among researchers that it is the effect of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-heindel/regarding-lack-of-vision-or-disabilities-of-the-organ-of-sight-it-has/) [Max Heindel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-heindel/) > [It feels amazing to be a role model for people with and without disabilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-potter/it-feels-amazing-to-be-a-role-model-for-people-with-and-without/) [Lauren Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-potter/) > [There's a wide variety of diversity, with people that have disabilities from R.J. Mitte in 'Breaking Bad' to Danny Woodburn being a little man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-brewer/there-s-a-wide-variety-of-diversity-with-people-that-have/) [Jamie Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-brewer/) > [“Disabilities are not inspiration, they are messages that need to be addressed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-david-o-brien/disabilities-are-not-inspiration-they-are-messages-that-need-to-be/) Marc David O'Brien > [Autistic people's disabilities are widely known, but one of their best-established strengths is their attention to detail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-baron-cohen/autistic-people-s-disabilities-are-widely-known-but-one-of-their-best/) [Simon Baron-Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-baron-cohen/) > [A lot of roles for people with disabilities are quite patronising. It's a real pity when they are just used to give dull PC…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-haddon/a-lot-of-roles-for-people-with-disabilities-are-quite-patronising-it/) [Mark Haddon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-haddon/) > [What has become of society now these days? It's not simple anymore; well life has never been simple though. Why can't people just accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-hough/what-has-become-of-society-now-these-days-it-s-not-simple-anymore/) Abigail Hough > [Barring extreme physical and mental disabilities, each and every one of us is where we are today -- be it poor or wealthy, happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-boortz/barring-extreme-physical-and-mental-disabilities-each-and-every-one/) [Neal Boortz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-boortz/) > [Our real disabilities come from inside us, don't tell yourself you can't do something, keep on trying and if one way doesn't work try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/our-real-disabilities-come-from-inside-us-don-t-tell-yourself-you-can/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [Whether you know it or not, when you leave one of my shows, you have a different understanding of disabilities and what disability is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-blue/whether-you-know-it-or-not-when-you-leave-one-of-my-shows-you-have-a/) [Josh Blue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-blue/) > [There are people with physical disabilities that prevent them from having any hope - in some cases any actual hope and in other cases…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallin-h-oaks/there-are-people-with-physical-disabilities-that-prevent-them-from/) [Dallin H. Oaks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallin-h-oaks/) > [Learning disabilities cannot be cured, but they can be treated successfully and children with LD can go on to live happy, successful lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-ford/learning-disabilities-cannot-be-cured-but-they-can-be-treated/) Anne Ford > [The ADA allows persons with disabilities the opportunity to participate in the world around them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-duckworth/the-ada-allows-persons-with-disabilities-the-opportunity-to/) [Tammy Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-duckworth/) > [Through the 'It's About Ability' campaign and with parents and other members of society, we have created a social family for children with disabilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/igor-luksic/through-the-it-s-about-ability-campaign-and-with-parents-and-other/) [Igor Luksic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/igor-luksic/) > [“Not being able to talk sucks. There's no doubt about that. There's a lot of times when I almost feel like I'm trapped inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keary-taylor/not-being-able-to-talk-sucks-there-s-no-doubt-about-that-there-s-a/) [Keary Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keary-taylor/) [Browse all 170 Disabilities quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disabilities/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Society imposes low expectations of those who have disabilities”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Erik Weihenmayer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-weihenmayer/society-imposes-low-expectations-of-those-who-have-disabilities/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Disabilities" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-weihenmayer/society-imposes-low-expectations-of-those-who-have-disabilities/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/733/erik-weihenmayer-24419_disabilities_society-imposes-low-expectations-of-thos_663912.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/733/erik-weihenmayer-24419_disabilities_society-imposes-low-expectations-of-thos_663912.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/733/erik-weihenmayer-24419_disabilities_society-imposes-low-expectations-of-thos_663912.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Society imposes low expectations of those who have disabilities”” — Erik Weihenmayer", "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": "Erik Weihenmayer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-weihenmayer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Society imposes low expectations of those...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-weihenmayer/society-imposes-low-expectations-of-those-who-have-disabilities/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-weihenmayer/society-imposes-low-expectations-of-those-who-have-disabilities/#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 } } ] } ```