--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What matters is not to know the world but…" description: "\"What matters is not to know the world but to change it.\" — Frantz Fanon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/438/frantz-fanon-3566_change_what-matters-is-not-to-know-the-world-bu_2627415.jpg" --- # What matters is not to know the world but to change it. ![“What matters is not to know the world but to change it.” quote by Frantz Fanon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/438/frantz-fanon-3566_change_what-matters-is-not-to-know-the-world-bu_2627415.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/438/frantz-fanon-3566_change_what-matters-is-not-to-know-the-world-bu_2627415.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/438/frantz-fanon-3566_change_what-matters-is-not-to-know-the-world-bu_2627415.jpg) > “What matters is not to know the world but to change it.” [Frantz Fanon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frantz-fanon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True impact lies in transforming the world, not merely understanding it. **In simple terms:** Change the world, not just learn about it. Key Takeaway Take action to reshape reality. Themes activism change knowledge Mood determined hopeful Type motivational political When to use this quote - political activism - community organizing - education reform Key Concepts social theory revolution Questions to Reflect On - What concrete step can you take to effect change? - How do you balance knowledge and action? A Different Perspective Changing the world can be hindered by systemic resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Know World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-world/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Matters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matters/) [Matters Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matters-know-864185/) [Social justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-justice/) [What matters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/what-matters/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-change-237419/) ## Related quotes > [In order to do what really matters to you, you have to, first of all, know what really matters to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hallowell/in-order-to-do-what-really-matters-to-you-you-have-to-first-of-all/) [Edward Hallowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hallowell/) > [“its strang how all the things you know about the world- and yourself- can change in a fraction of a second”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-gray/its-strang-how-all-the-things-you-know-about-the-world-and-yourself/) [Eva Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-gray/) > [The art of being helpful is behaving as if everything we do matters - because we never know which things might.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/the-art-of-being-helpful-is-behaving-as-if-everything-we-do-matters/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [We are who we are, how we got here doesn't matter. What matters is- what do we do know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-are-who-we-are-how-we-got-here-doesn-t-matter-what-matters-is-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“What matters is that you know you’re worth it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-scott/what-matters-is-that-you-know-you-re-worth-it/) [Emma Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-scott/) > [“Nothing is without meaning. What matters is you know that meaning or not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-love-the-way-you-love-me/nothing-is-without-meaning-what-matters-is-you-know-that-meaning-or/) [I Love the way you love me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-love-the-way-you-love-me/) > [What men do matters more than what they know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-christopher/what-men-do-matters-more-than-what-they-know/) [John Christopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-christopher/) > [I don't pretend to know everything; I just only speak on matters I know I'll win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/i-don-t-pretend-to-know-everything-i-just-only-speak-on-matters-i/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [All that matters is that you KNOW your worth. If they don't know your worth realize that it's OKAY because they aren't meant for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/all-that-matters-is-that-you-know-your-worth-if-they-don-t-know-your/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [“It is not what we have that matters; what matters is what we give away with love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/it-is-not-what-we-have-that-matters-what-matters-is-what-we-give-away/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [What does it matter how cultivated and up-to-date we are, or how many thousands of books we’ve read? What matters is how we feel,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-zaid/what-does-it-matter-how-cultivated-and-up-to-date-we-are-or-how-many/) [Gabriel Zaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-zaid/) > [What matters is the face you show the world, not the quaking mess behind it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/what-matters-is-the-face-you-show-the-world-not-the-quaking-mess/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [“What you do is what matters, not what you think or say or plan.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-fried/what-you-do-is-what-matters-not-what-you-think-or-say-or-plan/) [Jason Fried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-fried/) > [What matters most is how you respond to your heartbreaks and your disappointments and your fears. What matters most is who you become in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-center/what-matters-most-is-how-you-respond-to-your-heartbreaks-and-your/) [Katherine Center](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-center/) > [The amount you give isn't important. What matters is what that amount represents in terms of your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/the-amount-you-give-isn-t-important-what-matters-is-what-that-amount/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) ## More by Frantz Fanon > [The unpreparedness of the educated classes, the lack of practical links between them and the mass of the people, their laziness, and, let it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frantz-fanon/the-unpreparedness-of-the-educated-classes-the-lack-of-practical/) [Frantz Fanon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frantz-fanon/) > [“The passion with which native intellectuals defend the existence of their national culture may be a source of amazement; but those who condemn this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frantz-fanon/the-passion-with-which-native-intellectuals-defend-the-existence-of/) [Frantz Fanon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frantz-fanon/) > [One avoids Creolisms. Some families completely forbid Creole and mothers ridicule their children for speaking it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frantz-fanon/one-avoids-creolisms-some-families-completely-forbid-creole-and/) [Frantz Fanon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frantz-fanon/) > [Hate demands existence, and he who hates has to show his hate in appropriate actions and behaviors; in a sense, he has to become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frantz-fanon/hate-demands-existence-and-he-who-hates-has-to-show-his-hate-in/) [Frantz Fanon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frantz-fanon/) > [Fervor is the weapon of choice for the impotent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frantz-fanon/fervor-is-the-weapon-of-choice-for-the-impotent/) [Frantz Fanon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frantz-fanon/) > [Capitalist exploitation and cartels and monopolies are the enemies of underdeveloped countries. On the other hand a regime which is completely oriented towards the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frantz-fanon/capitalist-exploitation-and-cartels-and-monopolies-are-the-enemies-of/) [Frantz Fanon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frantz-fanon/) > [The living expression of the nation is the collective consciousness in motion of the entire people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frantz-fanon/the-living-expression-of-the-nation-is-the-collective-consciousness/) [Frantz Fanon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frantz-fanon/) > [“The claim to a national culture in the past does not only rehabilitate that nation and serve as a justification for the hope of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frantz-fanon/the-claim-to-a-national-culture-in-the-past-does-not-only/) [Frantz Fanon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frantz-fanon/) > [The business of obscuring language is a mask behind which stands the much bigger business of plunder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frantz-fanon/the-business-of-obscuring-language-is-a-mask-behind-which-stands-the/) [Frantz Fanon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frantz-fanon/) > [Get used to me, I am not getting used to anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frantz-fanon/get-used-to-me-i-am-not-getting-used-to-anyone/) [Frantz Fanon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frantz-fanon/) > [“To speak pidgin to a Negro makes him angry, because he himself is a pidgin-nigger-talker. But, I will be told, there is no wish,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frantz-fanon/to-speak-pidgin-to-a-negro-makes-him-angry-because-he-himself-is-a/) [Frantz Fanon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frantz-fanon/) > [“Nor will we acquiesce in the help for underdeveloped countries being a program of “sisters of charity.” This help should be the ratification of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frantz-fanon/nor-will-we-acquiesce-in-the-help-for-underdeveloped-countries-being/) [Frantz Fanon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frantz-fanon/) > [The oppressed will always believe the worst about themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frantz-fanon/the-oppressed-will-always-believe-the-worst-about-themselves/) [Frantz Fanon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frantz-fanon/) > [“Everything can be explained to the people, on the single condition that you really want them to understand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frantz-fanon/everything-can-be-explained-to-the-people-on-the-single-condition/) [Frantz Fanon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frantz-fanon/) > [For the beloved should not allow me to turn my infantile fantasies into reality: On the contrary, he should help me to go beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frantz-fanon/for-the-beloved-should-not-allow-me-to-turn-my-infantile-fantasies/) [Frantz Fanon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frantz-fanon/) [Explore all 113 Frantz Fanon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frantz-fanon/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [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/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) [Phil Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hogan/) > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What matters is not to know the world but to change it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Frantz Fanon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frantz-fanon/what-matters-is-not-to-know-the-world-but-to-change-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frantz-fanon/what-matters-is-not-to-know-the-world-but-to-change-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/438/frantz-fanon-3566_change_what-matters-is-not-to-know-the-world-bu_2627415.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/438/frantz-fanon-3566_change_what-matters-is-not-to-know-the-world-bu_2627415.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/438/frantz-fanon-3566_change_what-matters-is-not-to-know-the-world-bu_2627415.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What matters is not to know the world but to change it.” — Frantz Fanon", "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": "Frantz Fanon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frantz-fanon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What matters is not to know...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frantz-fanon/what-matters-is-not-to-know-the-world-but-to-change-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frantz-fanon/what-matters-is-not-to-know-the-world-but-to-change-it/#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 } } ] } ```