--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I just hope we can find our way back to…" description: "\"I just hope we can find our way back to engaging with one another, arguing strongly with one another, and then going down and having a root beer togeth..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c3/james-mattis-9515_arguing_i-just-hope-we-can-find-our-way-back-to_182941.png" --- # I just hope we can find our way back to engaging with one… ![“I just hope we can find our way back to engaging with one another, arguing strongly with one another, and then going down and having a root beer together or something and - and having a good laugh about it as we work together for the best interests of the next generation of Americans who are going…” quote by James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c3/james-mattis-9515_arguing_i-just-hope-we-can-find-our-way-back-to_182941.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c3/james-mattis-9515_arguing_i-just-hope-we-can-find-our-way-back-to_182941.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c3/james-mattis-9515_arguing_i-just-hope-we-can-find-our-way-back-to_182941.png) > “I just hope we can find our way back to engaging with one another, arguing strongly with one another, and then going down and having a root beer together or something and - and having a good laugh about it as we work together for the best interests of the next generation of Americans who are going to inherit this country.” [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encourages respectful disagreement and camaraderie to foster collaborative solutions for future generations. **In simple terms:** Argue, laugh, then work together. Key Takeaway Embrace constructive conflict. Themes dialogue collaboration generational responsibility Mood hopeful serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - policy making - community projects Key Concepts political discourse team dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How to keep arguments productive? - What role does humor play in teamwork? A Different Perspective Strong disagreements can become divisive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beer/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Next generation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-generation/) [Work together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-together/) [Working together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-together/) ## Related quotes > [It is up to us, to this present generation of Americans, to take a stand for freedom, to send a message to Washington that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perry/it-is-up-to-us-to-this-present-generation-of-americans-to-take-a/) [Rick Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perry/) > [Doing right by our seniors isn't just about making the right decisions today - it's about ensuring that every generation of Americans can have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-gillibrand/doing-right-by-our-seniors-isn-t-just-about-making-the-right/) [Kirsten Gillibrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-gillibrand/) > [For over two centuries, each generation of Americans before us confronted and solved problems. They embraced opportunities and Americans have never had it easy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/for-over-two-centuries-each-generation-of-americans-before-us/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [I begin to feel like I was in the last generation of Americans who took a civics class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/i-begin-to-feel-like-i-was-in-the-last-generation-of-americans-who/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [A whole generation of Americans will retire in poverty instead of prosperity, because they simply are not preparing for retirement now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-whole-generation-of-americans-will-retire-in-poverty-instead-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Indeed, an entire generation of Americans has grown to adulthood since the Roe decision of 1973, which held that the right to choose an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-casey/indeed-an-entire-generation-of-americans-has-grown-to-adulthood-since/) [Robert Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-casey/) > [Some of the lowest-paid workers in this nation are people that we ask to watch the next generation of Americans. We do a better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dodd/some-of-the-lowest-paid-workers-in-this-nation-are-people-that-we-ask/) [Christopher Dodd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dodd/) > [The national park idea has been nurtured by each succeeding generation of Americans. Today, across our land, the National Park System represents America at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-b-hartzog-jr/the-national-park-idea-has-been-nurtured-by-each-succeeding/) George B. Hartzog Jr > [Within forty years of their arrival in the Plymouth colony, the first white settlers were afraid their children had lost the dedication and religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-keniston/within-forty-years-of-their-arrival-in-the-plymouth-colony-the-first/) [Kenneth Keniston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-keniston/) > [There is a mysterious cycle in human events. To some generations much is given. Of other generations much is expected. 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People began reinterpreting all American history as a series of misadventures and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinesh-d-souza/in-the-sixties-there-was-a-big-resistance-to-the-vietnam-war-people/) [Dinesh D'Souza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinesh-d-souza/) > [Both of my parents were first-generation Americans, the children of Jews who left Eastern Europe around the turn of the century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-robert-horvitz/both-of-my-parents-were-first-generation-americans-the-children-of/) [H. Robert Horvitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-robert-horvitz/) > [My generation of Americans was the first to really care about racism and sexism, not to mention the I Ching, plus, of course, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/my-generation-of-americans-was-the-first-to-really-care-about-racism/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) ## More by James Mattis > [ I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect \[Donald Trump\], or then-president \[Barack Obama\]. But it's - I'm very clear.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-that-by-the-president-elect/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [An untrained or uneducated Marine ... deployed to the combat zone is a bigger threat to mission accomplishment ... than the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/an-untrained-or-uneducated-marine-deployed-to-the-combat-zone-is-a/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [The first time you blow someone away is not an insignificant event. That said, there are some \*\*\*\*\*\*\*s in the world that just need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/the-first-time-you-blow-someone-away-is-not-an-insignificant-event/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [With respect to the outlines of what's in the Army Field Manual, there's no doubt in my mind about the limitations it places not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/with-respect-to-the-outlines-of-what-s-in-the-army-field-manual-there/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [We can kill lots of people. We do kill lots of people. We can destroy virtually anything we choose to destroy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/we-can-kill-lots-of-people-we-do-kill-lots-of-people-we-can-destroy/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [We've backed off in good faith to try and give you a chance to straighten this problem out. But I am going to beg…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/we-ve-backed-off-in-good-faith-to-try-and-give-you-a-chance-to/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [You've been told that you're broken. That you're damaged goods ... there is also Post-Traumatic Growth. You come back from war stronger and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/you-ve-been-told-that-you-re-broken-that-you-re-damaged-goods-there/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [It's quite fun to fight them, you know. It's a hell of a hoot. It's fun to shoot some people. I'll be right up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/it-s-quite-fun-to-fight-them-you-know-it-s-a-hell-of-a-hoot-it-s-fun/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [You cannot allow any of your people to avoid the brutal facts. If they start living in a dream world, it's going to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/you-cannot-allow-any-of-your-people-to-avoid-the-brutal-facts-if-they/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [You can overcome wrong technology. Your people have the initiative, they see the problem, no big deal ... you can't overcome bad culture. You've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/you-can-overcome-wrong-technology-your-people-have-the-initiative/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil. You know, guys like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/you-go-into-afghanistan-you-got-guys-who-slap-women-around-for-five-2/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [We have the most skillful, firecest, and certainly the most ethical ground forces in the world... I'm not saying we have to commit right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/we-have-the-most-skillful-firecest-and-certainly-the-most-ethical/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [I don't see lethality as the problem. I mean, the lethality of US forces is quite remarkable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-don-t-see-lethality-as-the-problem-i-mean-the-lethality-of-us/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [The United States has been essentially engaged in an ongoing war that most people date from 2001. That war has taken us to Afghanistan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/the-united-states-has-been-essentially-engaged-in-an-ongoing-war-that/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [In this age, I dont care how tactically or operationally brilliant you are, if you cannot create harmony even vicious harmony on the battlefield…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/in-this-age-i-dont-care-how-tactically-or-operationally-brilliant-you/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) [Explore all 72 James Mattis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) ## More Arguing quotes > [I do wish you wouldn't argue with me when I'm knitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/i-do-wish-you-wouldn-t-argue-with-me-when-i-m-knitting/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [It's fine to talk about politics with people you agree with. But it is rude to argue about politics with people you disagree with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/it-s-fine-to-talk-about-politics-with-people-you-agree-with-but-it-is/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Men are fair, and they have learned not to personalize anger - they can disagree with you and argue to the bone, but afterward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/men-are-fair-and-they-have-learned-not-to-personalize-anger-they-can/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [When Eudæmonidas heard a philosopher arguing that only a wise man can be a good general, "This is a wonderful speech," said he; "but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/when-eud-monidas-heard-a-philosopher-arguing-that-only-a-wise-man-can/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Fasting is required, staying away from fighting and arguing and bombing of masjids is still going on. Hatred is still manifested between Sunni and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/fasting-is-required-staying-away-from-fighting-and-arguing-and/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [The problem for the Left, however, is that the moment it stops painting the Right as vile, it has to argue the issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-problem-for-the-left-however-is-that-the-moment-it-stops-painting/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/to-argue-with-a-person-who-has-renounced-the-use-of-reason-is-like/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [You can argue that the Terminator movies reboot their world each time they go back in time, but that doesn't negate the value of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hayter/you-can-argue-that-the-terminator-movies-reboot-their-world-each-time/) [David Hayter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hayter/) > [We may argue eloquently that 'Honesty is the best Policy' - unfortunately, the moment honesty is adopted for the sake of policy it mysteriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/we-may-argue-eloquently-that-honesty-is-the-best-policy-unfortunately/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [I'm a very serious person, but I don't take myself very seriously and I would rather laugh all day than argue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stone-cold-steve-austin/i-m-a-very-serious-person-but-i-don-t-take-myself-very-seriously-and/) [Stone Cold Steve Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stone-cold-steve-austin/) > [These eyes, tho' clear To outward view of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot, Nor to their idle orbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/these-eyes-tho-clear-to-outward-view-of-blemish-or-of-spot-bereft-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [There's crucial distinction that has to be drawn between the Shari'a, which is this hugely expansive vision of cosmic order that I've been describing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadakat-kadri/there-s-crucial-distinction-that-has-to-be-drawn-between-the-shari-a/) [Sadakat Kadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadakat-kadri/) > [Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. They don't understand truth nor do they meditate on it. Who can define what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/only-fools-argue-whether-to-eat-meat-or-not-they-don-t-understand/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [The surest sign that you haven't any sense is to argue with one who hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/the-surest-sign-that-you-haven-t-any-sense-is-to-argue-with-one-who/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) Browse all 1,908 Arguing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I just hope we can find our way back to engaging with one another, arguing strongly with one another, and then going down and having a root beer together or something and - and having a good laugh about it as we work together for the best interests of the next generation of Americans who are going to inherit this country.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Mattis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-just-hope-we-can-find-our-way-back-to-engaging-with-one-another/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Arguing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-just-hope-we-can-find-our-way-back-to-engaging-with-one-another/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c3/james-mattis-9515_arguing_i-just-hope-we-can-find-our-way-back-to_182941.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c3/james-mattis-9515_arguing_i-just-hope-we-can-find-our-way-back-to_182941.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c3/james-mattis-9515_arguing_i-just-hope-we-can-find-our-way-back-to_182941.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I just hope we can find our way back to engaging with one another, arguing strongly with one another, and…” — James Mattis", "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": "James Mattis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I just hope we can find...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-just-hope-we-can-find-our-way-back-to-engaging-with-one-another/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-just-hope-we-can-find-our-way-back-to-engaging-with-one-another/#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 } } ] } ```