---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you you think there is a solution…"
description: "\"If you you think there is a solution, you're part of the problem.\" — George Carlin"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90f/george-carlin-155_ifs_if-you-you-think-there-is-a-solution-you_916502.jpg"
---

#  If you you think there is a solution, you're part of the…

![“If you you think there is a solution, you're part of the problem.” quote by George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90f/george-carlin-155_ifs_if-you-you-think-there-is-a-solution-you_916502.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90f/george-carlin-155_ifs_if-you-you-think-there-is-a-solution-you_916502.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90f/george-carlin-155_ifs_if-you-you-think-there-is-a-solution-you_916502.jpg)

> “If you you think there is a solution, you're part of the problem.”

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

If you think a solution exists, you’re part of the problem.

**In simple terms:** Believing a solution exists can be a problem.

Key Takeaway

Question assumptions about solutions.

Themes

critical thinking responsibility problem solving

Mood

skeptical provocative

Type

humorous philosophical

When to use this quote

- policy debates
- team meetings

Key Concepts

cognitive bias social activism

Questions to Reflect On

- What assumptions are you overlooking?
- How can you identify hidden problems?

A Different Perspective

Solutions may be complex, not absent.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Problem solving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem-solving/) [Solution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solution/) [Solution Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solution-problem-376623/) [Solutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solutions/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Think Solution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-solution-532656/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/)

## Related quotes

> [If you think there's a solution, you're part of the problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/if-you-think-there-s-a-solution-you-re-part-of-the-problem/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [Be part of the solution, not part of the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/be-part-of-the-solution-not-part-of-the-problem/)

[Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/)

> [Every solution has a problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hargreaves/every-solution-has-a-problem/)

[Andy Hargreaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hargreaves/)

> [Whatever creativity is, it is in part a solution to a problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-aldiss/whatever-creativity-is-it-is-in-part-a-solution-to-a-problem/)

[Brian Aldiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-aldiss/)

> [Think of the solution, not the problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/think-of-the-solution-not-the-problem/)

[Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/)

> [It's not that they can't see the solution. They can't see the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-not-that-they-can-t-see-the-solution-they-can-t-see-the-problem/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Every problem has a solution And Every solution has a problem But what could be the solution in solving every problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-nijjar/every-problem-has-a-solution-and-every-solution-has-a-problem-but/)

[Mandy Nijjar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-nijjar/)

> [“Nothing could be counted on in a world where even when you were a solution you were a problem.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/nothing-could-be-counted-on-in-a-world-where-even-when-you-were-a/)

[Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/)

> [Government is not a solution to our problem government is the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/government-is-not-a-solution-to-our-problem-government-is-the-problem/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [A job is a short term solution to a long term problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/a-job-is-a-short-term-solution-to-a-long-term-problem/)

[Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/)

> [Whatever the problem, be part of the solution. Don’t just sit around raising questions and pointing out obstacles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/whatever-the-problem-be-part-of-the-solution-don-t-just-sit-around/)

[Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/)

> [When something goes wrong, fear also gets in the way. You may retreat in your shell. Remember every problem has a solution. Never lament…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anil-sinha/when-something-goes-wrong-fear-also-gets-in-the-way-you-may-retreat/)

[Anil Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anil-sinha/)

> [The government solution to a problem is usually as bad as the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-government-solution-to-a-problem-is-usually-as-bad-as-the-problem/)

[Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/)

> [If you haven't understood the world you're living in, it's impossible to think that the solution you're coming up with fits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-obeng/if-you-haven-t-understood-the-world-you-re-living-in-it-s-impossible/)

[Eddie Obeng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-obeng/)

> [There was no answer, no solution, no sop, no deliverance. What, then, did I do? I read faster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/there-was-no-answer-no-solution-no-sop-no-deliverance-what-then-did-i/)

[Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/)

## More by George Carlin

> [I never go anywhere or do anything that transports me outside the boundaries of my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-never-go-anywhere-or-do-anything-that-transports-me-outside-the/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [With the proper training, I could've been an evil genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/with-the-proper-training-i-could-ve-been-an-evil-genius/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [Comedy, although it is not one of the fine arts - it's a vulgar art, it's one of the people's arts, it's the spoken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/comedy-although-it-is-not-one-of-the-fine-arts-it-s-a-vulgar-art-it-s/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [“I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. ... These two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-m-completely-in-favor-of-the-separation-of-church-and-state-these/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [“TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY. Not true. Today is another day. We have no idea what tomorrow is going to be. It might turn out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/tomorrow-is-another-day-not-true-today-is-another-day-we-have-no-idea/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [I was a loner as a child. I had an imaginary friend - I didn't bother with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-was-a-loner-as-a-child-i-had-an-imaginary-friend-i-didn-t-bother/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [Kilometers are shorter than miles. Save gas, take your next trip in kilometers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/kilometers-are-shorter-than-miles-save-gas-take-your-next-trip-in/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [“If you guys want to get a MOM tattoo and save a little money, just get two letters done. Get about a one-inch capital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/if-you-guys-want-to-get-a-mom-tattoo-and-save-a-little-money-just-get/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/you-ve-built-up-so-much-speed-that-you-hit-70-after-that-it-s-a-day/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [It ended suddenly for Brenda, more slowly for me. My runs began getting shorter and less pleasurable. I'd feel bad after only one day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/it-ended-suddenly-for-brenda-more-slowly-for-me-my-runs-began-getting/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [Is there another word for synonym?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/is-there-another-word-for-synonym/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [The whole idea of the pursuit of goods and possessions has completely corrupted the human experience, along with religion, which I think limits the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/the-whole-idea-of-the-pursuit-of-goods-and-possessions-has-completely/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [These days many politicians are demanding change. Just like homeless people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/these-days-many-politicians-are-demanding-change-just-like-homeless/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [You know the good part about all those executions in Texas? Fewer Texans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/you-know-the-good-part-about-all-those-executions-in-texas-fewer/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [What was the best thing before sliced bread?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/what-was-the-best-thing-before-sliced-bread/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

[Explore all 1,098 George Carlin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

## More Ifs quotes

> [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/)

[Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/)

> [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/)

[Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/)

> [Histories never conclude; they just pause their prose. Their stories are, if they are truthful, untidy affairs, resistant to windings-up and sortings-out. They beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/histories-never-conclude-they-just-pause-their-prose-their-stories/)

[Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/)

> [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/)

[Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/)

> [Many individuals spend a considerable portion of their lifetimes in terror of one imagined catastrophe or another. The classic is that your immortal soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/many-individuals-spend-a-considerable-portion-of-their-lifetimes-in/)

[L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/)

> [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/)

[Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/)

> [If I don't have pressure, I don't function.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferran-adria/if-i-don-t-have-pressure-i-don-t-function/)

[Ferran Adria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferran-adria/)

> [If you restore a car, and you're making money, then you're doing it wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/if-you-restore-a-car-and-you-re-making-money-then-you-re-doing-it/)

[Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/)

> [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/)

> [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/)

[Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/)

> [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/)

> [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/)

[William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/)

> [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/)

> [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/)

[Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/)

[Browse all 94,303 Ifs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "If you you think there is a solution, you're part of the problem.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "George Carlin"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/if-you-you-think-there-is-a-solution-you-re-part-of-the-problem/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Ifs"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/if-you-you-think-there-is-a-solution-you-re-part-of-the-problem/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90f/george-carlin-155_ifs_if-you-you-think-there-is-a-solution-you_916502.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90f/george-carlin-155_ifs_if-you-you-think-there-is-a-solution-you_916502.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90f/george-carlin-155_ifs_if-you-you-think-there-is-a-solution-you_916502.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If you you think there is a solution, you're part of the problem.” — George Carlin",
                "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": "George Carlin",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "If you you think there is...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/if-you-you-think-there-is-a-solution-you-re-part-of-the-problem/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/if-you-you-think-there-is-a-solution-you-re-part-of-the-problem/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
