--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Twenty years ago, you might have been…" description: "\"Twenty years ago, you might have been pessimistic and said there's no hope. But these days, some of our very biggest companies are acting remarkably cl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9c/jared-diamond-2519_acting_twenty-years-ago-you-might-have-been-pes_772457.jpg" --- # Twenty years ago, you might have been pessimistic and said… ![“Twenty years ago, you might have been pessimistic and said there's no hope. But these days, some of our very biggest companies are acting remarkably cleanly. And in some cases, although not all cases, the CEOs are the driving forces behind that.” quote by Jared Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9c/jared-diamond-2519_acting_twenty-years-ago-you-might-have-been-pes_772457.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9c/jared-diamond-2519_acting_twenty-years-ago-you-might-have-been-pes_772457.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9c/jared-diamond-2519_acting_twenty-years-ago-you-might-have-been-pes_772457.jpg) > “Twenty years ago, you might have been pessimistic and said there's no hope. But these days, some of our very biggest companies are acting remarkably cleanly. And in some cases, although not all cases, the CEOs are the driving forces behind that.” [Jared Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-diamond/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Optimism can drive corporate responsibility; CEOs can champion sustainability. **In simple terms:** Hope fuels clean business actions. Key Takeaway Encourage leaders to champion sustainability. Themes business sustainability optimism Mood hopeful critical Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - board meetings - public statements - policy drafting Key Concepts corporate responsibility leadership environment Questions to Reflect On - Which companies truly embody this optimism? - How to measure impact of hopeful leadership? A Different Perspective Not all CEOs act on optimism; results vary. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Ceo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceo/) [Ceos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceos/) [Cleanliness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cleanliness/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Driving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/driving/) [Driving force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/driving-force/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [No hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/no-hope/) [Pessimistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pessimistic/) [Twenties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twenties/) ## Related quotes > [The top people of the biggest companies are, surprisingly, often the nicest ones in their company I'm not sure, though, if they got there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/the-top-people-of-the-biggest-companies-are-surprisingly-often-the/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [The biggest companies in the world right now are made up of trillions of dollars of digital assets that really, in my opinion, should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittany-kaiser/the-biggest-companies-in-the-world-right-now-are-made-up-of-trillions/) [Brittany Kaiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittany-kaiser/) > [ Exxon \[is one\] of the biggest companies in the world. We'll find out whether it's \[Rex Tillerson\] or someone else on the list and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reince-priebus/exxon-is-one-of-the-biggest-companies-in-the-world-we-ll-find-out/) [Reince Priebus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reince-priebus/) > [“Some of the biggest companies in the world have security that is only as good as a minimum-wage phone support worker who has the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-of-the-biggest-companies-in-the-world-have-security-that-is-only/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Usually, the biggest companies are not the most dynamic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-fadell/usually-the-biggest-companies-are-not-the-most-dynamic/) [Tony Fadell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-fadell/) > [Adidas is one of the biggest companies in the world. To have a company like that, a mainstream company, a major sports company, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbie-lawler/adidas-is-one-of-the-biggest-companies-in-the-world-to-have-a-company/) [Robbie Lawler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robbie-lawler/) > [The best board members aren't elected by default. CEOs that set themselves up with their choice of board member - which means getting more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-weiss/the-best-board-members-aren-t-elected-by-default-ceos-that-set/) [Scott Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-weiss/) > [The shining star in the world is Shanghai. That's what CEOs from big companies say - 'if I want mathematical analytical work done, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-rosling/the-shining-star-in-the-world-is-shanghai-that-s-what-ceos-from-big/) [Hans Rosling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-rosling/) > [I don't understand why people whose entire lives or their corporate success depends on communication, and yet they are led on occasion by CEOs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-luntz/i-don-t-understand-why-people-whose-entire-lives-or-their-corporate/) [Frank Luntz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-luntz/) > [“We find that firms with award-winning CEOs subsequently underperform, in terms both of stock and of operating performance. At the same time, CEO compensation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/we-find-that-firms-with-award-winning-ceos-subsequently-underperform/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [You don't characterize CEOs as dealmakers or in any one particular area. An important characteristic of a CEO is leader. That's probably the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ramsey/you-don-t-characterize-ceos-as-dealmakers-or-in-any-one-particular/) [Michael Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ramsey/) > [CEOs are paid for doing a terrible job. If the system wasn't so messed up, guys like me wouldn't make this kind of money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-icahn/ceos-are-paid-for-doing-a-terrible-job-if-the-system-wasn-t-so-messed/) [Carl Icahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-icahn/) > [There's something to be said for CEOs' entering politics: In theory, they have management expertise and financial savvy. Then again, it didn't work so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-kristof/there-s-something-to-be-said-for-ceos-entering-politics-in-theory/) [Nicholas Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-kristof/) > [The deck is still stacked in favor of those already at the top. And there's something wrong with that. There's something wrong when CEOs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/the-deck-is-still-stacked-in-favor-of-those-already-at-the-top-and/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [“It seems some CEOs who pay extremely large acquisition premiums … come to believe their own press.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-heath/it-seems-some-ceos-who-pay-extremely-large-acquisition-premiums-come/) [Chip Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-heath/) ## More by Jared Diamond > [Bird taxonomy is a difficult field because of the severe anatomical constraints imposed by flight. There are only so many ways to design a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-diamond/bird-taxonomy-is-a-difficult-field-because-of-the-severe-anatomical/) [Jared Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-diamond/) > [What did the last Easter Islander say as he chopped down the last tree? The Easter Islanders didnt have anthropologists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-diamond/what-did-the-last-easter-islander-say-as-he-chopped-down-the-last/) [Jared Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-diamond/) > [“We come to conquer this land by his command, that all may come to a knowledge of God and of His Holy Catholic Faith;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-diamond/we-come-to-conquer-this-land-by-his-command-that-all-may-come-to-a/) [Jared Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-diamond/) > [“With the rise of chiefdoms around 7,500 years ago, people had to learn, for the first time in history, how to encounter strangers regularly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-diamond/with-the-rise-of-chiefdoms-around-7-500-years-ago-people-had-to-learn/) [Jared Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-diamond/) > [Human societies vary in lots of independent factors affecting their openness to innovation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-diamond/human-societies-vary-in-lots-of-independent-factors-affecting-their/) [Jared Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-diamond/) > [No government is here forever. And there are other forces - the most potent force in our society, in fact, big business - doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-diamond/no-government-is-here-forever-and-there-are-other-forces-the-most/) [Jared Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-diamond/) > [“Those parasites pass to a person from an eaten animal, but the virus causing laughing sickness (kuru) in the New Guinea highlands used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-diamond/those-parasites-pass-to-a-person-from-an-eaten-animal-but-the-virus/) [Jared Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-diamond/) > [“...invokes the supposed stimulatory effects of their homeland's cold climate and the inhibitory effects of hot, humid, tropical climates on human creativity and energy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-diamond/invokes-the-supposed-stimulatory-effects-of-their-homeland-s-cold/) [Jared Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-diamond/) > [“Throughout the Americas, diseases introduced with Europeans spread from tribe to tribe far in advance of the Europeans themselves, killing an estimated 95 percent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-diamond/throughout-the-americas-diseases-introduced-with-europeans-spread/) [Jared Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-diamond/) > [History followed different courses for different peoples because of differences among peoples' environments, not because of biological differences among peoples themselves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-diamond/history-followed-different-courses-for-different-peoples-because-of/) [Jared Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-diamond/) > [We study the injustices of history for the same reason that we study genocide, and for the same reason that psychologists study the minds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-diamond/we-study-the-injustices-of-history-for-the-same-reason-that-we-study/) [Jared Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-diamond/) > [I decided that now is the time to start doing the things that really interest me and I find important. It was in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-diamond/i-decided-that-now-is-the-time-to-start-doing-the-things-that-really/) [Jared Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-diamond/) > [“As a result of that confined distribution, peoples who pride themselves on being civilized have always viewed writing as the sharpest distinction raising them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-diamond/as-a-result-of-that-confined-distribution-peoples-who-pride/) [Jared Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-diamond/) > [Infectious diseases introduced with Europeans, like smallpox and measles, spread from one Indian tribe to another, far in advance of Europeans themselves, and killed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-diamond/infectious-diseases-introduced-with-europeans-like-smallpox-and/) [Jared Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-diamond/) > [In fact, everywhere in the world there has been a flux between big and small societies. Big political units are constantly being formed, later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-diamond/in-fact-everywhere-in-the-world-there-has-been-a-flux-between-big-and/) [Jared Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-diamond/) [Explore all 161 Jared Diamond quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-diamond/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. 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