--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are responsible for the world in which…" description: "\"We are responsible for the world in which we find ourselves, if only because we are the only sentient force which can change it.\" — James A. Baldwin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/james-a-baldwin-2080_charity_we-are-responsible-for-the-world-in-whic_562132.jpg" --- # We are responsible for the world in which we find… ![“We are responsible for the world in which we find ourselves, if only because we are the only sentient force which can change it.” quote by James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/james-a-baldwin-2080_charity_we-are-responsible-for-the-world-in-whic_562132.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/james-a-baldwin-2080_charity_we-are-responsible-for-the-world-in-whic_562132.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/james-a-baldwin-2080_charity_we-are-responsible-for-the-world-in-whic_562132.jpg) > “We are responsible for the world in which we find ourselves, if only because we are the only sentient force which can change it.” [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humans, as conscious beings, bear responsibility for shaping the world because only we can enact change. **In simple terms:** We must act to change our world. Key Takeaway Take responsibility for global impact. Themes responsibility environment agency Mood serious hopeful Type ethical activist When to use this quote - community organizing - policy advocacy - sustainable living - education reform Key Concepts ethical stewardship collective action Questions to Reflect On - What change can you realistically influence? - How do you balance personal and global duties? A Different Perspective Responsibility can feel overwhelming without collective support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Charity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charity/) [Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Philanthropic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philanthropic/) [Philanthropy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philanthropy/) [Responsible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsible/) [Responsible World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsible-world-776242/) [Sentient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sentient/) [Sentient Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sentient-force-4658213/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Sentient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-sentient-1851646/) ## Related quotes > [“He said that the world was sentient to its core and secret and black beyond men's imagining and that its nature did not reside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/he-said-that-the-world-was-sentient-to-its-core-and-secret-and-black/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [The world cannot hold onto you, for the world is not sentient. The world doesn't have a mind nor does it have desires; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mooji/the-world-cannot-hold-onto-you-for-the-world-is-not-sentient-the/) [Mooji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mooji/) > [What role can such philanthropy play in a society like ours? For one, philanthropic capital can go where markets will not go and where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohini-nilekani/what-role-can-such-philanthropy-play-in-a-society-like-ours-for-one/) [Rohini Nilekani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohini-nilekani/) > [Give all thou canst; high Heaven rejects the lore of nicely-caluculated less or more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/give-all-thou-canst-high-heaven-rejects-the-lore-of-nicely/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [The truth of the matter is: you can create a great legacy, and inspire others, by giving it to philanthropic organizations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/the-truth-of-the-matter-is-you-can-create-a-great-legacy-and-inspire/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [Do all the good you can, by all the means you can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/do-all-the-good-you-can-by-all-the-means-you-can/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [What are you doing for others?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/what-are-you-doing-for-others/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Shut not thy purse-strings always against painted distress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/shut-not-thy-purse-strings-always-against-painted-distress/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [A benefit consists not in what is done or given, but in the intention of the giver or doer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/a-benefit-consists-not-in-what-is-done-or-given-but-in-the-intention/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Philanthropy is almost the only virtue which is sufficiently appreciated by mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/philanthropy-is-almost-the-only-virtue-which-is-sufficiently/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Yet the true friend of the people should see that they be not too poor, for extreme povery lowers the character of the democracy;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/yet-the-true-friend-of-the-people-should-see-that-they-be-not-too/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Do what you can, with what you have and do it now!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington-carver/do-what-you-can-with-what-you-have-and-do-it-now/) [George Washington Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington-carver/) > [Wealth is not to feed our egos but to feed the hungry and to help people help themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/wealth-is-not-to-feed-our-egos-but-to-feed-the-hungry-and-to-help/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [An attitude of gratitude creates blessings. Help yourself by helping others. You have the most powerful weapons on earth - love and prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-templeton/an-attitude-of-gratitude-creates-blessings-help-yourself-by-helping/) [John Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-templeton/) > [Generosity is the flower of justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/generosity-is-the-flower-of-justice/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) ## More by James A. Baldwin > [One cannot deny the humanity of another without diminishing one's own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/one-cannot-deny-the-humanity-of-another-without-diminishing-one-s-own/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [All I know about music is that not many people ever really hear it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/all-i-know-about-music-is-that-not-many-people-ever-really-hear-it/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [I've always believed that you can think positive just as well as you can think negative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/i-ve-always-believed-that-you-can-think-positive-just-as-well-as-you/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [The white man discovered the Cross by way of the Bible, but the black man discovered the Bible by way of the Cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/the-white-man-discovered-the-cross-by-way-of-the-bible-but-the-black/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [The American ideal of sexuality appears to be rooted in the American ideal of masculinity. This idea has created cowboys and Indians, good guys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/the-american-ideal-of-sexuality-appears-to-be-rooted-in-the-american/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [Voyagers discover that the world can never be larger than the person that is in the world; but it is impossible to foresee this,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/voyagers-discover-that-the-world-can-never-be-larger-than-the-person/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [We take our shape, it is true, within and against that cage of reality bequeathed us at our birth; and yet it is precisely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/we-take-our-shape-it-is-true-within-and-against-that-cage-of-reality/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [The American ideal is, after all, that everyone should be as much alike as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/the-american-ideal-is-after-all-that-everyone-should-be-as-much-alike/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [James Joyce is right about history being a nightmare-- but it may be that nightmare from which no one can awaken. People are trapped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/james-joyce-is-right-about-history-being-a-nightmare-but-it-may-be/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [I think Americans are terrified of feeling anything. I never met a people more infantile in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/i-think-americans-are-terrified-of-feeling-anything-i-never-met-a/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [Unless a writer is extremely old when he dies, in which case he has probably become a neglected institution, his death must always be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/unless-a-writer-is-extremely-old-when-he-dies-in-which-case-he-has/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [An identity is questioned only when it is menaced, as when the mighty begin to fall, or when the wretched begin to rise, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/an-identity-is-questioned-only-when-it-is-menaced-as-when-the-mighty/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [White people will have quite enough to do in learning how to accept and love themselves and each other, and when they have achieved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/white-people-will-have-quite-enough-to-do-in-learning-how-to-accept/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [A devotion to humanity is... too easily equated with a devotion to a Cause, and Causes, as we know, are notoriously bloodthirsty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/a-devotion-to-humanity-is-too-easily-equated-with-a-devotion-to-a/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [Most people... find a disorientating mismatch between the long-term nature of their liabilities and the increasingly short-term nature of their assets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/most-people-find-a-disorientating-mismatch-between-the-long-term/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) [Explore all 187 James A. Baldwin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) ## More Charity quotes > [The greatest charity you can contribute to is yourself. Instead of spending a dollar to help feed hungry children, why not spend that dollar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-greatest-charity-you-can-contribute-to-is-yourself-instead-of/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [I would have none of that rigid circumspect charity which is never done without scrutiny, and which always mistrusts the truth of the necessities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-massillon/i-would-have-none-of-that-rigid-circumspect-charity-which-is-never/) [Jean Baptiste Massillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baptiste-massillon/) > [I'm publicist, patron of nine charities, creative director, food consultant, recipe developer - and mum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-monroe/i-m-publicist-patron-of-nine-charities-creative-director-food/) [Jack Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-monroe/) > [The next time you're looking at a charity, don't ask about the rate of their overhead. Ask about the scale of their dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-next-time-you-re-looking-at-a-charity-don-t-ask-about-the-rate-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Both fact and logic seem to me to support the view that savings invested in privately owned economic tools of production amount to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-a-harper/both-fact-and-logic-seem-to-me-to-support-the-view-that-savings/) [F. A. Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-a-harper/) > [I shall pray God to send charity into this hideous world, and sympathy for the weak, and love for the unhappy and unfortunate. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wyndham/i-shall-pray-god-to-send-charity-into-this-hideous-world-and-sympathy/) [John Wyndham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wyndham/) > [It is thus only this personal feeling of misery that we get rid of by acts of pity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-is-thus-only-this-personal-feeling-of-misery-that-we-get-rid-of-by/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Considering community support and cost-benefit analysis, I have supported earmarks for projects of high public purpose involving such areas as higher education, alternative energy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-fortenberry/considering-community-support-and-cost-benefit-analysis-i-have/) [Jeff Fortenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-fortenberry/) > [It's always great to be able to give back to the community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-vucevic/it-s-always-great-to-be-able-to-give-back-to-the-community/) [Nikola Vucevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-vucevic/) > [Slander is a poison which kills charity, both in the slanderer and the one who listens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/slander-is-a-poison-which-kills-charity-both-in-the-slanderer-and-the/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [I like to give back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/i-like-to-give-back/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) > [We have to restore power to the family, to the neighborhood, and the community with a non-market principle, a principle of equality, of charity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-brown/we-have-to-restore-power-to-the-family-to-the-neighborhood-and-the/) [Jerry Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-brown/) > [“It takes a female to have a baby, It takes a woman to raise a child, It takes a mother to raise them correctly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/it-takes-a-female-to-have-a-baby-it-takes-a-woman-to-raise-a-child-it/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [I own about 300 pairs of shoes. When I start to go over 300, I have mini-sales from my closet and give the money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-london/i-own-about-300-pairs-of-shoes-when-i-start-to-go-over-300-i-have/) [Stacy London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-london/) [Browse all 2,477 Charity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We are responsible for the world in which we find ourselves, if only because we are the only sentient force which can change it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James A. 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