--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our forefathers were not only brave. I…" description: "\"“Our forefathers were not only brave. I believe they were right. I believe that what they meant was that every man born had equal right to grow from sc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9b/frank-lloyd-wright-1353_common-man_our-forefathers-were-not-only-brave-i-be_1170624.jpg" --- # Our forefathers were not only brave. I believe they were… ![“Our forefathers were not only brave. I believe they were right. I believe that what they meant was that every man born had equal right to grow from scratch by way of his own power unhindered to the highest expression of himself possible to him. This of course not antagonistic by sympathetic to the…” quote by Frank Lloyd Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9b/frank-lloyd-wright-1353_common-man_our-forefathers-were-not-only-brave-i-be_1170624.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9b/frank-lloyd-wright-1353_common-man_our-forefathers-were-not-only-brave-i-be_1170624.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9b/frank-lloyd-wright-1353_common-man_our-forefathers-were-not-only-brave-i-be_1170624.jpg) > ““Our forefathers were not only brave. I believe they were right. I believe that what they meant was that every man born had equal right to grow from scratch by way of his own power unhindered to the highest expression of himself possible to him. This of course not antagonistic by sympathetic to the growth of all men as brothers. Free emulation not imitation of the "bravest and the best" is to be expected of him. Uncommon he may and will and should become as inspiration to his fellows, not a reflection upon them, not to be resented but accepted--and in this lies the only condition of the common man's survival. So only is he intrinsic to democracy. Persistently holding quality above quantity only as he attempts to live a superior life of his own, and to whatsoever degree in whatever case he finds it; this is his virtue in a democracy such as ours was designed to be. Only this sense of proportion affords tranquility of spirit, in itself beauty, in either character of action. Nature is never other than serene even in a thunderstorm. The assumption of the "firm countenance, lips compressed" in denial or resentment is not known to her as it is known to civilization. Such negation by human countenance may be moral (civilization is inclined to morality) but even so not nature. Again exuberance is repose but never excess.”” [Frank Lloyd Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lloyd-wright/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that true democracy requires each individual to pursue personal excellence, not merely imitate the elite, fostering collective growth and tranquility. **In simple terms:** Democracy thrives when people seek personal greatness, not just copy the best. Key Takeaway Encourage personal excellence for societal benefit. Themes democracy individualism excellence collective growth virtue Mood hopeful reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - education - leadership development - community building - personal coaching Key Concepts self‑actualization intrinsic motivation quality vs quantity Questions to Reflect On - How can societies balance individual ambition with collective welfare? - What safeguards prevent elite imitation from becoming oppressive? A Different Perspective Imitation of elites can still inspire positive change; not everyone can achieve exceptional status. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Common man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-man/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Self beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-beauty/) ## Related quotes > [Our forefathers were not only brave. I believe they were right. I believe that what they meant was that every man born had equal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lloyd-wright/our-forefathers-were-not-only-brave-i-believe-they-were-right-i-2/) [Frank Lloyd Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lloyd-wright/) > [“The darkness that exists online is not a property that lurks inside our servers and our cyberdildonics; it is inside the people who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audacia-ray/the-darkness-that-exists-online-is-not-a-property-that-lurks-inside/) [Audacia Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audacia-ray/) > [There should be no argument in regard to morality in art. There is no morality in nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auguste-rodin/there-should-be-no-argument-in-regard-to-morality-in-art-there-is-no/) [Auguste Rodin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auguste-rodin/) > [Interactivity has the virtue of democracy, conferring upon everyone with access to a computer the right and opportunity to be heard, but it's also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-kaminer/interactivity-has-the-virtue-of-democracy-conferring-upon-everyone-2/) [Wendy Kaminer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-kaminer/) > [Interactivity has the virtue of democracy, conferring upon everyone with access to a computer the right and opportunity to be heard, but it's also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-flers/interactivity-has-the-virtue-of-democracy-conferring-upon-everyone/) Robert De Flers > [The virtue of democracy is that is has placed limits on the absoluteness of power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-morrison-maciver/the-virtue-of-democracy-is-that-is-has-placed-limits-on-the/) [Robert Morrison MacIver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-morrison-maciver/) > [Dishonesty in government is the business of every citizen. It is not enough to do your own job. There's no particular virtue in that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalton-trumbo/dishonesty-in-government-is-the-business-of-every-citizen-it-is-not/) [Dalton Trumbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalton-trumbo/) > [“Tolerance means to have the heart open to all differences; it is the honorable attitude of receiving another's opinion in order to appreciate it;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-joaqu-n/tolerance-means-to-have-the-heart-open-to-all-differences-it-is-the/) [Nick Joaquín](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-joaqu-n/) > [“Her companion, also in black, appeared as a well-formed young woman about 18, completely possessed of that ephemeral precious essence youth, which is itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/her-companion-also-in-black-appeared-as-a-well-formed-young-woman/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [Confidence is ability of having faith in self without needing some one to tell you.Confidence is inner self beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/confidence-is-ability-of-having-faith-in-self-without-needing-some/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [“Others can't always define your true identity. They see what they 'want' to see but beyond your mess, God sees the beauty He created…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinonye-j-chidolue/others-can-t-always-define-your-true-identity-they-see-what-they-want/) [Chinonye J. Chidolue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinonye-j-chidolue/) > [Beauty comes as much from the mind as from the eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grey-livingston/beauty-comes-as-much-from-the-mind-as-from-the-eye/) [Grey Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grey-livingston/) > [Give beauty back, beauty, beauty, beauty, back to God, beauty's self and beauty's giver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-manley-hopkins/give-beauty-back-beauty-beauty-beauty-back-to-god-beauty-s-self-and/) [Gerard Manley Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-manley-hopkins/) > [Beauty in things lies in the mind which contemplates them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/beauty-in-things-lies-in-the-mind-which-contemplates-them/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [I've never seen a smiling face that was not beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-never-seen-a-smiling-face-that-was-not-beautiful/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Frank Lloyd Wright > [From time to time the continent shifts, and everything that isn't fastened down slides into Southern California.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lloyd-wright/from-time-to-time-the-continent-shifts-and-everything-that-isn-t/) [Frank Lloyd Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lloyd-wright/) > [Respect the masterpiece. It is true reverence to man. There is no quality so great, none so much needed now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lloyd-wright/respect-the-masterpiece-it-is-true-reverence-to-man-there-is-no/) [Frank Lloyd Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lloyd-wright/) > [“Nature is my manifestation of God. I go to nature every day for inspiration in the day's work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lloyd-wright/nature-is-my-manifestation-of-god-i-go-to-nature-every-day-for/) [Frank Lloyd Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lloyd-wright/) > [Each had his past shut in him like the leaves of a book known to him by heart; and his friends could only read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lloyd-wright/each-had-his-past-shut-in-him-like-the-leaves-of-a-book-known-to-him/) [Frank Lloyd Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lloyd-wright/) > [“How many understand that Nature is the essencial character of whatever is. It's something you'll find by looking not at, but in, always in.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lloyd-wright/how-many-understand-that-nature-is-the-essencial-character-of/) [Frank Lloyd Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lloyd-wright/) > [The cultural influences in our country are like the floo floo bird. I am referring to the peculiar and especial bird who always flew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lloyd-wright/the-cultural-influences-in-our-country-are-like-the-floo-floo-bird-i/) [Frank Lloyd Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lloyd-wright/) > [Early in life, I had to choose between honest arrogance and hypocritical humility. I chose honest arrogance and have seen no occasion to change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lloyd-wright/early-in-life-i-had-to-choose-between-honest-arrogance-and/) [Frank Lloyd Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lloyd-wright/) > [The Lincoln Memorial is related to the toga and the civilization that wore it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lloyd-wright/the-lincoln-memorial-is-related-to-the-toga-and-the-civilization-that/) [Frank Lloyd Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lloyd-wright/) > [The belief in a thing makes it happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lloyd-wright/the-belief-in-a-thing-makes-it-happen/) [Frank Lloyd Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lloyd-wright/) > [“give me the luxuries of life and I will gladly do without the necessities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lloyd-wright/give-me-the-luxuries-of-life-and-i-will-gladly-do-without-the/) [Frank Lloyd Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lloyd-wright/) > [It's easier to make changes with a pencil than a wrecking bar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lloyd-wright/it-s-easier-to-make-changes-with-a-pencil-than-a-wrecking-bar/) [Frank Lloyd Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lloyd-wright/) > [Life always rides in strength to victory, not through internationalism... but only through the direct responsibility of the individual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lloyd-wright/life-always-rides-in-strength-to-victory-not-through-internationalism/) [Frank Lloyd Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lloyd-wright/) > [A man is a fool if he drinks before he reaches fifty, and a fool if he doesn't drink afterward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lloyd-wright/a-man-is-a-fool-if-he-drinks-before-he-reaches-fifty-and-a-fool-if-he/) [Frank Lloyd Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lloyd-wright/) > [Entering into the spirit of this interior, you will discover the best possible atmosphere in which to show fine paintings or listen to music.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lloyd-wright/entering-into-the-spirit-of-this-interior-you-will-discover-the-best/) [Frank Lloyd Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lloyd-wright/) > [A great architect is not made by way of a brain nearly so much as he is made by way of a cultivated, enriched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lloyd-wright/a-great-architect-is-not-made-by-way-of-a-brain-nearly-so-much-as-he/) [Frank Lloyd Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lloyd-wright/) [Explore all 251 Frank Lloyd Wright quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lloyd-wright/) ## More Common man quotes > [Those who advocate common usage in philosophy sometimes speak in a manner that suggests the mystique of the 'common man.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/those-who-advocate-common-usage-in-philosophy-sometimes-speak-in-a/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [In a democracy, voting is a huge and most important right of a common man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-tripathi/in-a-democracy-voting-is-a-huge-and-most-important-right-of-a-common/) [Pankaj Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-tripathi/) > [Through my singing and acting and speaking, I want to make freedom ring. Maybe I can touch people's hearts better than I can their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-robeson/through-my-singing-and-acting-and-speaking-i-want-to-make-freedom/) [Paul Robeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-robeson/) > [It's nice that people can call me an artist and it's nice that I can refer to myself as such, but it also kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matana-roberts/it-s-nice-that-people-can-call-me-an-artist-and-it-s-nice-that-i-can/) [Matana Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matana-roberts/) > [The common man, finding himself in a world so excellent, technically and socially, believes it has been produced by nature, and never thinks of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ortega-y-gasset/the-common-man-finding-himself-in-a-world-so-excellent-technically/) [Jose Ortega y Gasset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ortega-y-gasset/) > [No one got rich on a government program. Do not choose to be a common man. You can be uncommon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/no-one-got-rich-on-a-government-program-do-not-choose-to-be-a-common/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [Under capitalism the common man enjoys amenities which in ages gone by were unknown and therefore inaccessible even to the richest people. But, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/under-capitalism-the-common-man-enjoys-amenities-which-in-ages-gone/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [The founder of any branch must be more ingenious than the common man. However, if his achievement is not carried on by disciples of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/the-founder-of-any-branch-must-be-more-ingenious-than-the-common-man/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) > [I am terrified of restrictive religious doctrine, having learned from history that when men who adhere to any form of it are in control,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/i-am-terrified-of-restrictive-religious-doctrine-having-learned-from/) [James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-michener/) > [“Creative writer has artistic sensibility. He observes the world like any common men. But his vision observes the world quite differently. He can perceive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/creative-writer-has-artistic-sensibility-he-observes-the-world-like/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [The commander of the forces of a large State may be carried off, but the will of even a common man cannot be taken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-commander-of-the-forces-of-a-large-state-may-be-carried-off-but/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Common men should esteem learning as silver, noble men prize it as gold, and princes as jewels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-pius-ii/common-men-should-esteem-learning-as-silver-noble-men-prize-it-as/) Pope Pius II > [Hathiram Choudhary is a vulnerable, intense and deep character. Like every common man, he just wants to prove himself and better himself. But he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaideep-ahlawat/hathiram-choudhary-is-a-vulnerable-intense-and-deep-character-like/) [Jaideep Ahlawat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaideep-ahlawat/) > [Those who respect the intelligence of the common man have always been masters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suhasini-maniratnam/those-who-respect-the-intelligence-of-the-common-man-have-always-been/) [Suhasini Maniratnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suhasini-maniratnam/) > [I know that a lot of people take inspiration from the fact that I was just a common man with no film background who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uday-kiran/i-know-that-a-lot-of-people-take-inspiration-from-the-fact-that-i-was/) [Uday Kiran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uday-kiran/) [Browse all 367 Common man quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-man/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Our forefathers were not only brave. 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