--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whenever societies do well, they believe…" description: "\"Whenever societies do well, they believe that there is something in their cultural DNA that made it happen.\" — Fareed Zakaria" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d61/fareed-zakaria-3805_believe_whenever-societies-do-well-they-believe_316035.png" --- # Whenever societies do well, they believe that there is… ![“Whenever societies do well, they believe that there is something in their cultural DNA that made it happen.” quote by Fareed Zakaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d61/fareed-zakaria-3805_believe_whenever-societies-do-well-they-believe_316035.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d61/fareed-zakaria-3805_believe_whenever-societies-do-well-they-believe_316035.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d61/fareed-zakaria-3805_believe_whenever-societies-do-well-they-believe_316035.png) > “Whenever societies do well, they believe that there is something in their cultural DNA that made it happen.” [Fareed Zakaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fareed-zakaria/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Societies attribute success to an inherent cultural trait, overlooking external factors. **In simple terms:** People think culture alone drives success. Key Takeaway Recognize both culture and environment. Themes culture success identity Mood reflective analytical Type observational philosophical When to use this quote - national policy - business strategy - education reform Key Concepts sociology collective identity determinism Questions to Reflect On - What external factors contribute to societal success? - How can we measure cultural impact? A Different Perspective Culture alone cannot explain all outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dna/) [Societies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/societies/) ## Related quotes > [Jewish history has been in my cultural DNA since I was a child growing up in post-war London. In the midst of that dark,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/jewish-history-has-been-in-my-cultural-dna-since-i-was-a-child/) [Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/) > [What cultural DNA remains from those first Puritan forays onto American soil may be our love of a fresh start.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/what-cultural-dna-remains-from-those-first-puritan-forays-onto/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [Economic systems are not value-free columns of numbers based on rules of reason, but ways of expressing what varying societies believe is important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/economic-systems-are-not-value-free-columns-of-numbers-based-on-rules/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [People who study primate societies make a distinction between two kinds of cultural interactions, agonic and hedonic. In agonic societies, you gain status by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/people-who-study-primate-societies-make-a-distinction-between-two/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [The very moment you understand that being a Muslim and being American or European are not mutually exclusive, you enrich your society. Promote the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/the-very-moment-you-understand-that-being-a-muslim-and-being-american/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [Education can also be used as a soft power and as a soft force to transform societies. When I say transform societies it means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mozah-bint-nasser-al-missned/education-can-also-be-used-as-a-soft-power-and-as-a-soft-force-to/) [Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mozah-bint-nasser-al-missned/) > [Now it is time to make historic reassessments in order to transform our region into one of stability, freedom, prosperity, cultural revival and co-existence.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmet-davutoglu/now-it-is-time-to-make-historic-reassessments-in-order-to-transform/) [Ahmet Davutoglu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmet-davutoglu/) > [There is very strong historical data that suggests the way societies grow is by making large, long-term investments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fareed-zakaria/there-is-very-strong-historical-data-that-suggests-the-way-societies/) [Fareed Zakaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fareed-zakaria/) > [“For a nation to be truly transformed, there must be movements, civil societies, NGOs that are spread all across the land to educate people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/for-a-nation-to-be-truly-transformed-there-must-be-movements-civil/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [We need to decarbonise our societies and economies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharan-burrow/we-need-to-decarbonise-our-societies-and-economies/) [Sharan Burrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharan-burrow/) > [“I value individuals and societies. I care about those who are not born yet. That is the reason for my joys and blues.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petek-kabakci/i-value-individuals-and-societies-i-care-about-those-who-are-not-born/) [Petek Kabakci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petek-kabakci/) > [All societies are historical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-queneau/all-societies-are-historical/) [Raymond Queneau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-queneau/) > [Class - or the economic status of individuals - is evident in all societies, some very well stratified by a rigid caste system determined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-sionil-jos/class-or-the-economic-status-of-individuals-is-evident-in-all/) [F. Sionil Jose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-sionil-jos/) > [Homer, Hesiod, Pythagoras, Plato, and Cicero, just to name a few, all lived in pagan societies. Some of the greatest political and military leaders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-myers/homer-hesiod-pythagoras-plato-and-cicero-just-to-name-a-few-all-lived/) [Brendan Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-myers/) > [Societies that are disciplined to get what they want become dangerous when they don't get what they want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/societies-that-are-disciplined-to-get-what-they-want-become-dangerous/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) ## More by Fareed Zakaria > [I grew up in Mumbai.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fareed-zakaria/i-grew-up-in-mumbai/) [Fareed Zakaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fareed-zakaria/) > [“The political history of the twentieth century is the story of greater and more direct political participation. And success kept expanding democracy's scope. Whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fareed-zakaria/the-political-history-of-the-twentieth-century-is-the-story-of/) [Fareed Zakaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fareed-zakaria/) > [No successful political transition can take place without leaders and movements that demand and press for freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fareed-zakaria/no-successful-political-transition-can-take-place-without-leaders-and/) [Fareed Zakaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fareed-zakaria/) > [“For years many in the oil-rich states argued that their enormous wealth would bring modernizations. They pointed to the impressive appetites of Saudis and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fareed-zakaria/for-years-many-in-the-oil-rich-states-argued-that-their-enormous/) [Fareed Zakaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fareed-zakaria/) > [It all looks American because America, the country that invented mass capitalism and consumerism, got there first. the impact of mass capitalism is now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fareed-zakaria/it-all-looks-american-because-america-the-country-that-invented-mass/) [Fareed Zakaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fareed-zakaria/) > [If you listen to the political discourse in America today, you would think that all our problems have been caused by the Mexicans of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fareed-zakaria/if-you-listen-to-the-political-discourse-in-america-today-you-would/) [Fareed Zakaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fareed-zakaria/) > [Thanks to the Communist Party of China, we now know the path to poverty alleviation is Capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fareed-zakaria/thanks-to-the-communist-party-of-china-we-now-know-the-path-to/) [Fareed Zakaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fareed-zakaria/) > [I very much want to be in the business of creating content, of doing stories all over the world rather than figuring out what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fareed-zakaria/i-very-much-want-to-be-in-the-business-of-creating-content-of-doing/) [Fareed Zakaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fareed-zakaria/) > [It's not possible for two countries to be the leading dominant political power at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fareed-zakaria/it-s-not-possible-for-two-countries-to-be-the-leading-dominant/) [Fareed Zakaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fareed-zakaria/) > [Some have said that the clash between Catholicism and Protestantism illustrates the old maxim that religious freedom is the product of two equally pernicious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fareed-zakaria/some-have-said-that-the-clash-between-catholicism-and-protestantism/) [Fareed Zakaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fareed-zakaria/) > [I am an American, not by accident of birth but by choice. I voted with my feet and became an American because I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fareed-zakaria/i-am-an-american-not-by-accident-of-birth-but-by-choice-i-voted-with/) [Fareed Zakaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fareed-zakaria/) > [“What we need in politics today is not more democracy but less.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fareed-zakaria/what-we-need-in-politics-today-is-not-more-democracy-but-less/) [Fareed Zakaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fareed-zakaria/) > [We have the leading companies and the leading sectors in the advanced industrial world, we have an incredibly dynamic society, and we have high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fareed-zakaria/we-have-the-leading-companies-and-the-leading-sectors-in-the-advanced/) [Fareed Zakaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fareed-zakaria/) > [What we see today is an American economy that has boomed because of policies and developments of the 1950s and '60s: the interstate-highway system,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fareed-zakaria/what-we-see-today-is-an-american-economy-that-has-boomed-because-of/) [Fareed Zakaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fareed-zakaria/) > [If a senator calls me up and asks me what should we do in Iraq, I'm happy to talk to him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fareed-zakaria/if-a-senator-calls-me-up-and-asks-me-what-should-we-do-in-iraq-i-m/) [Fareed Zakaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fareed-zakaria/) [Explore all 121 Fareed Zakaria quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fareed-zakaria/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Whenever societies do well, they believe that there is something in their cultural DNA that made it happen.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Fareed Zakaria" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fareed-zakaria/whenever-societies-do-well-they-believe-that-there-is-something-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fareed-zakaria/whenever-societies-do-well-they-believe-that-there-is-something-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d61/fareed-zakaria-3805_believe_whenever-societies-do-well-they-believe_316035.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d61/fareed-zakaria-3805_believe_whenever-societies-do-well-they-believe_316035.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d61/fareed-zakaria-3805_believe_whenever-societies-do-well-they-believe_316035.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Whenever societies do well, they believe that there is something in their cultural DNA that made it happen.” — Fareed Zakaria", "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": "Fareed Zakaria", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fareed-zakaria/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Whenever societies do well, they believe...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fareed-zakaria/whenever-societies-do-well-they-believe-that-there-is-something-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fareed-zakaria/whenever-societies-do-well-they-believe-that-there-is-something-in/#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 } } ] } ```