--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ordinary people need to lead and not sit…" description: "\"Ordinary people need to lead and not sit there and think that governments are going to spoon-feed them and look after them and look after the country, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07d/ian-kiernan-103264_country_ordinary-people-need-to-lead-and-not-sit_1698163.jpg" --- # Ordinary people need to lead and not sit there and think… ![“Ordinary people need to lead and not sit there and think that governments are going to spoon-feed them and look after them and look after the country, because they won't.” quote by Ian Kiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07d/ian-kiernan-103264_country_ordinary-people-need-to-lead-and-not-sit_1698163.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07d/ian-kiernan-103264_country_ordinary-people-need-to-lead-and-not-sit_1698163.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07d/ian-kiernan-103264_country_ordinary-people-need-to-lead-and-not-sit_1698163.jpg) > “Ordinary people need to lead and not sit there and think that governments are going to spoon-feed them and look after them and look after the country, because they won't.” [Ian Kiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-kiernan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ordinary people must take initiative, not rely on governments for support, because such assistance is unlikely. **In simple terms:** People must act, not wait for government help. Key Takeaway Take personal responsibility for societal change. Themes civic duty self‑reliance leadership politics empowerment Mood determined urgent serious Type Country:0 Government:1 Governments:1 Leadership:1 Looks:0 Needs:0 Ordinary:1 Ordinary people:0 People:1 Politics:1 Spoons:0 Thinking:0 People Need:0 Think Governments:0 Governments Going:0 When to use this quote - community organizing - political activism - volunteering Key Concepts government citizens action responsibility change Questions to Reflect On - How can individuals influence government policy? - What responsibilities do citizens have without state support? A Different Perspective Governments may still provide essential services. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Governments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/governments/) [Governments Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/governments-going-1123514/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Ordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary/) [Ordinary people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary-people/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-need/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Spoons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spoons/) [Think Governments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-governments-973811/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I think governments are the cancer of civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/i-think-governments-are-the-cancer-of-civilization/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [I think governments are quietly terrified. There's massive unemployment, a recession they don't know how to deal with, and the measures they've taken are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-critchley/i-think-governments-are-quietly-terrified-there-s-massive/) [Simon Critchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-critchley/) > [I think governments can't do much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/i-think-governments-can-t-do-much/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Everyone is an abused child, if you think about what governments do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/everyone-is-an-abused-child-if-you-think-about-what-governments-do/) [Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/) > [I think all governments engage in intelligence gathering vis-a-vis other governments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-paulson/i-think-all-governments-engage-in-intelligence-gathering-vis-a-vis/) [Henry Paulson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-paulson/) > [I think our governments will remain virtuous for many centuries as long as they are chiefly agricultural; and this will be as long as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-think-our-governments-will-remain-virtuous-for-many-centuries-as-2/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I think governments will increasingly be tempted to rely on Silicon Valley to solve problems like obesity or climate change because Silicon Valley runs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeny-morozov/i-think-governments-will-increasingly-be-tempted-to-rely-on-silicon/) [Evgeny Morozov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeny-morozov/) > [I think that governments are going to get disrupted by the blockchain. I think in the same way that the Internet forced everyone to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-draper/i-think-that-governments-are-going-to-get-disrupted-by-the-blockchain/) [Adam Draper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-draper/) > [I think we ought to use the same formula that we used when we took out Moammar Gadhafi in Libya. We have unique resources…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dutch-ruppersberger/i-think-we-ought-to-use-the-same-formula-that-we-used-when-we-took/) [Dutch Ruppersberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dutch-ruppersberger/) > [“This table is a pigeon trap. A dozen different forks and knives and spoons. Four different goblets. All of them just waiting to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siri-mitchell/this-table-is-a-pigeon-trap-a-dozen-different-forks-and-knives-and/) [Siri Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-mitchell/) > [You know the John Lennon song 'Imagine'? 'Imagine no possessions, no religion'? That's what it was like in Cambodia. The only thing people had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophal-ear/you-know-the-john-lennon-song-imagine-imagine-no-possessions-no/) [Sophal Ear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophal-ear/) > [Me and Frosted went to get a drink. But she ordered somethin' bugged, and I ain't know what to think. She ordered potassium, calcium,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ll-cool-j/me-and-frosted-went-to-get-a-drink-but-she-ordered-somethin-bugged/) [LL Cool J](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ll-cool-j/) > [One man is born with a silver spoon in his mouth, and the other with a wooden ladle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/one-man-is-born-with-a-silver-spoon-in-his-mouth-and-the-other-with-a/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [“I have measured out my life in coffee spoons.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-s-eliot-2/i-have-measured-out-my-life-in-coffee-spoons/) [T.S. Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-s-eliot-2/) > [The book is like the spoon, scissors, the hammer, the wheel. Once invented, it cannot be improved. You cannot make a spoon that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/the-book-is-like-the-spoon-scissors-the-hammer-the-wheel-once/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) ## More by Ian Kiernan > [Simple, easy actions can protect the health of our water resources and help save drinking water supplies. There is not one individual who cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-kiernan/simple-easy-actions-can-protect-the-health-of-our-water-resources-and/) [Ian Kiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-kiernan/) [Explore all 2 Ian Kiernan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-kiernan/) ## More Country quotes > [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [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/) > [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [There's no reason someone who has fought for their country should be homeless of jobless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/there-s-no-reason-someone-who-has-fought-for-their-country-should-be/) [Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [It's very nice to be a rebel saying, 'I stand on my principles,' but if in fact that's not going to have any impact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-grieve/it-s-very-nice-to-be-a-rebel-saying-i-stand-on-my-principles-but-if/) [Dominic Grieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-grieve/) > [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [That's what this country is. It's made up of immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bria-vinaite/that-s-what-this-country-is-it-s-made-up-of-immigrants/) [Bria Vinaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bria-vinaite/) > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > ['Lovecraft Country' is reclaiming all these pulp genres for people of color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-green/lovecraft-country-is-reclaiming-all-these-pulp-genres-for-people-of/) [Misha Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-green/) > [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/) [Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/) [Browse all 29,881 Country quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Ordinary people need to lead and not sit there and think that governments are going to spoon-feed them and look after them and look after the country, because they won't.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ian Kiernan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-kiernan/ordinary-people-need-to-lead-and-not-sit-there-and-think-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Country" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-kiernan/ordinary-people-need-to-lead-and-not-sit-there-and-think-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07d/ian-kiernan-103264_country_ordinary-people-need-to-lead-and-not-sit_1698163.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07d/ian-kiernan-103264_country_ordinary-people-need-to-lead-and-not-sit_1698163.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07d/ian-kiernan-103264_country_ordinary-people-need-to-lead-and-not-sit_1698163.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Ordinary people need to lead and not sit there and think that governments are going to spoon-feed them and…” — Ian Kiernan", "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": "Ian Kiernan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-kiernan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Ordinary people need to lead and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-kiernan/ordinary-people-need-to-lead-and-not-sit-there-and-think-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-kiernan/ordinary-people-need-to-lead-and-not-sit-there-and-think-that/#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 } } ] } ```