--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is true that we do not recognize…" description: "\"It is true that we do not recognize greatness among us. Our measurements of importance are generally faulty and speak mainly to the superficialities of..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e15/haki-r-madhubuti-30377_bags_it-is-true-that-we-do-not-recognize-grea_541728.jpg" --- # It is true that we do not recognize greatness among us… ![“It is true that we do not recognize greatness among us. Our measurements of importance are generally faulty and speak mainly to the superficialities of life, e.g., where one lives, the type of clothing one wears, the cars one drives, to the number of bodyguards that one employs to carry bags and…” quote by Haki R. Madhubuti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e15/haki-r-madhubuti-30377_bags_it-is-true-that-we-do-not-recognize-grea_541728.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e15/haki-r-madhubuti-30377_bags_it-is-true-that-we-do-not-recognize-grea_541728.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e15/haki-r-madhubuti-30377_bags_it-is-true-that-we-do-not-recognize-grea_541728.jpg) > “It is true that we do not recognize greatness among us. Our measurements of importance are generally faulty and speak mainly to the superficialities of life, e.g., where one lives, the type of clothing one wears, the cars one drives, to the number of bodyguards that one employs to carry bags and open and close doors.” [Haki R. Madhubuti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haki-r-madhubuti/) ## 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 judges worth by surface signs, overlooking deeper value and true greatness. **In simple terms:** People judge by appearances, missing real merit. Key Takeaway Look beyond superficial measures of worth. Themes society values perception greatness Mood critical thoughtful Type observational philosophical When to use this quote - career advancement - social media - community leadership Key Concepts social bias authenticity recognition Questions to Reflect On - What hidden qualities do you overlook? - How can we value inner merit? A Different Perspective Surface metrics can be misleading. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Superficiality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superficiality/) ## Related quotes > [Don't wait for the world to recognize your greatness, live it and let the world catch up to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-wait-for-the-world-to-recognize-your-greatness-live-it-and-let/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Dont wait for the world to recognize your greatness ... Live it and let the world catch up to you...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leeteya/dont-wait-for-the-world-to-recognize-your-greatness-live-it-and-let/) [Leeteya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leeteya/) > [When your silent, people recognize your greatness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-burroughs/when-your-silent-people-recognize-your-greatness/) [Jordan Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-burroughs/) > [a great moment raises most of the people who experience it, to its own level; and that is why they do not always recognize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-deland/a-great-moment-raises-most-of-the-people-who-experience-it-to-its-own/) [Margaret Deland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-deland/) > [“You know how people are. They only recognize greatness when some authority confirms it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin/you-know-how-people-are-they-only-recognize-greatness-when-some/) Calvin > [“Once upon a time there were mass media, and they were wicked, of course, and there was a guilty party. Then there were the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/once-upon-a-time-there-were-mass-media-and-they-were-wicked-of-course/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [“Now his imagination spun about the hand as about the edge of a vortex; but still he made no effort to draw nearer. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/now-his-imagination-spun-about-the-hand-as-about-the-edge-of-a-vortex/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [“A woman who holds her head up too high, is trying to breathe from her own pollution.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/a-woman-who-holds-her-head-up-too-high-is-trying-to-breathe-from-her/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [It's better to shake off superficial sometimes fake friends. There's a lot of truth in the old saying birds of a feather flock together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-better-to-shake-off-superficial-sometimes-fake-friends-there-s-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It wasn't until the show was almost over that I figured out what it was: the crack above my David Onica that I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/it-wasn-t-until-the-show-was-almost-over-that-i-figured-out-what-it/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [But progress in knowledge has made us aware of the superficiality of Plato's lumping of individuals and their original powers into a few sharply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/but-progress-in-knowledge-has-made-us-aware-of-the-superficiality-of/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [Superficiality is the curse of our age. The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/superficiality-is-the-curse-of-our-age-the-doctrine-of-instant/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [I think in fact that unless there is an organic link between the subjective impressions of the author and his objective representation of reality,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/i-think-in-fact-that-unless-there-is-an-organic-link-between-the/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [I don't have answers for anybody else. What I know is that internal complexity makes for superficiality. There's never essentially a pure story unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-diller/i-don-t-have-answers-for-anybody-else-what-i-know-is-that-internal/) [Barry Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-diller/) > [“Many people measure their self-worth based on how much money they make... once one is able to provide for basic physical needs (food shelter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/many-people-measure-their-self-worth-based-on-how-much-money-they/) [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) ## More by Haki R. Madhubuti > [Learning to take hold of one's life is very difficult in a culture that values property over life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haki-r-madhubuti/learning-to-take-hold-of-one-s-life-is-very-difficult-in-a-culture/) [Haki R. Madhubuti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haki-r-madhubuti/) > [To measure your needs by that which is projected via mass media is a mistake that has no mercy. The average person views a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haki-r-madhubuti/to-measure-your-needs-by-that-which-is-projected-via-mass-media-is-a/) [Haki R. Madhubuti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haki-r-madhubuti/) > [To maintain the ability to admit and grow from our mistakes rather than let them defeat us represents best the inner strength of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haki-r-madhubuti/to-maintain-the-ability-to-admit-and-grow-from-our-mistakes-rather/) [Haki R. Madhubuti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haki-r-madhubuti/) > [People find a sense of being, a sense of worth and substance being associated with land. Association with final roots gives us not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haki-r-madhubuti/people-find-a-sense-of-being-a-sense-of-worth-and-substance-being/) [Haki R. Madhubuti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haki-r-madhubuti/) > [U feel that way sometimes wondering: wondering, how did we survive?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haki-r-madhubuti/u-feel-that-way-sometimes-wondering-wondering-how-did-we-survive/) [Haki R. Madhubuti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haki-r-madhubuti/) > [“where is the poetry of resistance, the poetry of honorable defiance unafraid of lies from career politicians and business men, not respectful of journalist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haki-r-madhubuti/where-is-the-poetry-of-resistance-the-poetry-of-honorable-defiance/) [Haki R. Madhubuti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haki-r-madhubuti/) > [Many people have serious academic degrees but cannot find a job, and sadly their degrees are so limited that they cannot even think about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haki-r-madhubuti/many-people-have-serious-academic-degrees-but-cannot-find-a-job-and/) [Haki R. Madhubuti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haki-r-madhubuti/) > [“breath, life after seven decades plus three years is a lot of breathing. seventy three years on this earth is a lot of taking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haki-r-madhubuti/breath-life-after-seven-decades-plus-three-years-is-a-lot-of/) [Haki R. Madhubuti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haki-r-madhubuti/) > [“Street culture is a culture of containment. Most young people do not realize that it all too often leads to a “dead end”. “Street…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haki-r-madhubuti/street-culture-is-a-culture-of-containment-most-young-people-do-not/) [Haki R. Madhubuti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haki-r-madhubuti/) > [Studies that bring clarity and direction to the black male situation as an integral part of the black family/community are unpopular, not easy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haki-r-madhubuti/studies-that-bring-clarity-and-direction-to-the-black-male-situation/) [Haki R. Madhubuti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haki-r-madhubuti/) > [“Ideas and their creators run the world…one’s place in the world is due partially to the ideas that a culture has forced on one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haki-r-madhubuti/ideas-and-their-creators-run-the-world-one-s-place-in-the-world-is/) [Haki R. Madhubuti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haki-r-madhubuti/) > [to be black is to be very-hot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haki-r-madhubuti/to-be-black-is-to-be-very-hot/) [Haki R. Madhubuti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haki-r-madhubuti/) > [They who humble themselves before knowledge of any kind generally end up the wiser and as voices with something meaningful to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haki-r-madhubuti/they-who-humble-themselves-before-knowledge-of-any-kind-generally-end/) [Haki R. Madhubuti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haki-r-madhubuti/) > [“Who has the moral high ground? Fifteen blocks from the whitehouse on small corners in northwest, d.c. boys disguised as me rip each other’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haki-r-madhubuti/who-has-the-moral-high-ground-fifteen-blocks-from-the-whitehouse-on/) [Haki R. Madhubuti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haki-r-madhubuti/) > [One of the great tragedies of modern education is that most people are not taught to think critically. The majority of the world’s people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haki-r-madhubuti/one-of-the-great-tragedies-of-modern-education-is-that-most-people/) [Haki R. Madhubuti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haki-r-madhubuti/) [Explore all 17 Haki R. Madhubuti quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haki-r-madhubuti/) ## More Bags quotes > [Why couldn't Jesus command us to obsess over everything, to try to control and manipulate people, to try not to breathe at all, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/why-couldn-t-jesus-command-us-to-obsess-over-everything-to-try-to/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [I love Christopher Bailey and Burberry, Mulberry for bags, and Hudson for jeans. I like a little bit of designer with a bit of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cara-delevingne/i-love-christopher-bailey-and-burberry-mulberry-for-bags-and-hudson/) [Cara Delevingne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cara-delevingne/) > ['Constitutional' is just a real pip of a word. Positively rolls off the tongue. In fact, it's downright fun to say. 'Con-stit-too-shun-al.' It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/constitutional-is-just-a-real-pip-of-a-word-positively-rolls-off-the/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I don't really buy expensive clothes. I love good bags!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-siriano/i-don-t-really-buy-expensive-clothes-i-love-good-bags/) [Christian Siriano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-siriano/) > [I have a dress fitting to get to at three.' (Simon) 'Cool,' said Kyle, slinging his messenger bag over his shoulder and heading for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-have-a-dress-fitting-to-get-to-at-three-simon-cool-said-kyle/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Never bet with anyone you meet on the first tee who has a deep suntan, a 1-iron in his bag, and squinty eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-marr/never-bet-with-anyone-you-meet-on-the-first-tee-who-has-a-deep-suntan/) Dave Marr > [If you go out on the Appalachian Trail, you have to bring so much more equipment - a tent, sleeping bag - but if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/if-you-go-out-on-the-appalachian-trail-you-have-to-bring-so-much-more/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [Politics is not bean bags. It's serious, tough stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/politics-is-not-bean-bags-it-s-serious-tough-stuff/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [I like bags that are easy to wear and are pretty to look at. But I don't like them when they have no space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-dellal/i-like-bags-that-are-easy-to-wear-and-are-pretty-to-look-at-but-i-don/) [Alice Dellal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-dellal/) > [I drive a Prius. I always turn my faucets off. I never use plastic bottles anymore. I use glass bottles. I bring my own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-d-orsay/i-drive-a-prius-i-always-turn-my-faucets-off-i-never-use-plastic/) Brooke D'Orsay > [Then there are some minor points that strike me as suggestive - for instance, the position of Mrs. Hubbard's sponge bag, the name of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/then-there-are-some-minor-points-that-strike-me-as-suggestive-for/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [It was a mind-blowing experience, it really was-absolutely an awesome thing. . . . As I got to the top I released a bag…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-was-a-mind-blowing-experience-it-really-was-absolutely-an-awesome/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You know the best thing about aeroplanes? Apart from the peanuts in little silver bags, I mean. 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I'm not going to pack up my bags and let me move to Hollywood and stuff like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-henry/i-m-not-the-hollywood-type-i-m-not-going-to-pack-up-my-bags-and-let/) [Dwight Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-henry/) > [Everyone knows I drink a lot of Diet Coke, so...I drink chocolate milk after races as my recovery drink, and you won't ever find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-armstrong/everyone-knows-i-drink-a-lot-of-diet-coke-so-i-drink-chocolate-milk/) [Kristin Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-armstrong/) Browse all 1,147 Bags quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is true that we do not recognize greatness among us. 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