--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I used to walk around saying that I'm…" description: "\"I used to walk around saying that I'm just another black man without a college degree.\" — Jayson Blair" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfb/jayson-blair-24632_another_i-used-to-walk-around-saying-that-i-m-ju_718992.png" --- # I used to walk around saying that I'm just another black… ![“I used to walk around saying that I'm just another black man without a college degree.” quote by Jayson Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfb/jayson-blair-24632_another_i-used-to-walk-around-saying-that-i-m-ju_718992.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfb/jayson-blair-24632_another_i-used-to-walk-around-saying-that-i-m-ju_718992.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfb/jayson-blair-24632_another_i-used-to-walk-around-saying-that-i-m-ju_718992.png) > “I used to walk around saying that I'm just another black man without a college degree.” [Jayson Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-blair/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He felt defined by race and lack of formal education, limiting his self‑image. **In simple terms:** Identity tied to race and education. Key Takeaway Recognize beyond labels. Themes identity race education self‑esteem Mood reflective somber Type personal motivational When to use this quote - job interview - personal reflection - career planning Key Concepts social perception self‑concept Questions to Reflect On - How do you define yourself beyond external labels? - What steps can broaden your self‑view? A Different Perspective Labels can be internalized, hindering growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [College degree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college-degree/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [A man who cannot think is not an educated man however many college degrees he may have acquired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/a-man-who-cannot-think-is-not-an-educated-man-however-many-college/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [I don't walk around saying everything is going to be wonderful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lauer/i-don-t-walk-around-saying-everything-is-going-to-be-wonderful/) [Matt Lauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lauer/) > [Joe: We can't just walk out on her without saying goodbye. Jerry: What? Since when? You usually walk out and leave 'em with nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-curtis/joe-we-can-t-just-walk-out-on-her-without-saying-goodbye-jerry-what/) [Tony Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-curtis/) > [“What sets humans apart from animals is that we have to walk around saying how smart we are, and animals just live their lives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanctetinyea-j-j-ouellette/what-sets-humans-apart-from-animals-is-that-we-have-to-walk-around/) Chanctetinyea J. J. Ouellette > [Do not ask if a man has been through college; ask if a college has been through him; if he is a walking university.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/do-not-ask-if-a-man-has-been-through-college-ask-if-a-college-has/) [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) > [A man's college and university degrees mean nothing to me until I see what he is able to do with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/a-man-s-college-and-university-degrees-mean-nothing-to-me-until-i-see/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [Every man should have a college education in order to show him how little the thing is really worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/every-man-should-have-a-college-education-in-order-to-show-him-how/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [People who graduate are more resilient financially, and they weather economic downturns better than people who don't graduate. And, throughout their lives, people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/people-who-graduate-are-more-resilient-financially-and-they-weather/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [For me specifically, it was important to graduate. In my family, I was one of the first graduates. My mom did not have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-acton/for-me-specifically-it-was-important-to-graduate-in-my-family-i-was/) [Brian Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-acton/) > [The difference between our family and other poor families was that my mother actively chose to be poor. She was highly literate, and she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/said-sayrafiezadeh/the-difference-between-our-family-and-other-poor-families-was-that-my/) [Said Sayrafiezadeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/said-sayrafiezadeh/) > [Behind me, I heard a young woman of 25 say, "If it weren’t for my horse, I wouldn’t have spent that year in college."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/behind-me-i-heard-a-young-woman-of-25-say-if-it-weren-t-for-my-horse/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [It seems everyone knows a college degree is important, but few have a plan to keep it affordable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lz-granderson/it-seems-everyone-knows-a-college-degree-is-important-but-few-have-a/) [LZ Granderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lz-granderson/) > [The obsessive focus on a college degree has served neither taxpayers nor students well. Only 35 percent of students starting a four-year degree program…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-tabarrok/the-obsessive-focus-on-a-college-degree-has-served-neither-taxpayers/) [Alex Tabarrok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-tabarrok/) > [We should all feel confident in our intelligence. By the way, intelligence to me isn't just being book-smart or having a college degree; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tabatha-coffey/we-should-all-feel-confident-in-our-intelligence-by-the-way/) [Tabatha Coffey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tabatha-coffey/) > [A college degree can change the trajectory of a student's life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-cardona/a-college-degree-can-change-the-trajectory-of-a-student-s-life/) [Miguel Cardona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-cardona/) ## More by Jayson Blair > [I am making amends and seeking forgiveness. My only hope is that some good can come out of my situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-blair/i-am-making-amends-and-seeking-forgiveness-my-only-hope-is-that-some/) [Jayson Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-blair/) > [If they're all so brilliant and I'm such an affirmative-action hire, how come they didn't catch me?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-blair/if-they-re-all-so-brilliant-and-i-m-such-an-affirmative-action-hire/) [Jayson Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-blair/) > [You know I am done lying. Obscuring the truth is no longer something I have any interest in doing. I want it all to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-blair/you-know-i-am-done-lying-obscuring-the-truth-is-no-longer-something-i/) [Jayson Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-blair/) > [Well the first thing I'd say is that I'm not sure exactly what I'm supposed to do to show my remorse other than to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-blair/well-the-first-thing-i-d-say-is-that-i-m-not-sure-exactly-what-i-m/) [Jayson Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-blair/) > [I have lived a life that has been beautiful and painful at some moments. But I am convinced others can learn how to control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-blair/i-have-lived-a-life-that-has-been-beautiful-and-painful-at-some/) [Jayson Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-blair/) > [I am immensely contrite. And I'm sorry for the damage I've done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-blair/i-am-immensely-contrite-and-i-m-sorry-for-the-damage-i-ve-done/) [Jayson Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-blair/) > [I can't say anything other than the fact that I feel a range of emotions including guilt, shame, sadness, betrayal, freedom and appreciation for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-blair/i-can-t-say-anything-other-than-the-fact-that-i-feel-a-range-of/) [Jayson Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-blair/) > [I feel like I delivered a blow, an unfortunate blow to a profession that not only did I personally love doing but that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-blair/i-feel-like-i-delivered-a-blow-an-unfortunate-blow-to-a-profession/) [Jayson Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-blair/) > [I think people can learn from my experience - you know, any young people who are under pressure, whether you work on Wall Street…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-blair/i-think-people-can-learn-from-my-experience-you-know-any-young-people/) [Jayson Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-blair/) > [It's very painful to have something that's not true written about you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-blair/it-s-very-painful-to-have-something-that-s-not-true-written-about-you/) [Jayson Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-blair/) > [One of my weaknesses happens to be lying, and I could tell you that I'm never going to lie again in my life, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-blair/one-of-my-weaknesses-happens-to-be-lying-and-i-could-tell-you-that-i/) [Jayson Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-blair/) > [It's hard to say what role race really played in my case.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-blair/it-s-hard-to-say-what-role-race-really-played-in-my-case/) [Jayson Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-blair/) > [Those ethical choices often are made every day at a time, minute by minute in ways that you may not even relate to ethics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-blair/those-ethical-choices-often-are-made-every-day-at-a-time-minute-by/) [Jayson Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-blair/) > [Once I had a better beat, I needed to have an even better one. And somewhere in that climbing, I lost sight of, sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-blair/once-i-had-a-better-beat-i-needed-to-have-an-even-better-one-and/) [Jayson Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-blair/) > [I seek to be authentic and engaging, using my own experiences, being as vulnerable as I ask my clients to be, to enhance the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-blair/i-seek-to-be-authentic-and-engaging-using-my-own-experiences-being-as/) [Jayson Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-blair/) [Explore all 24 Jayson Blair quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-blair/) ## More Another quotes > [I guess I've never really wanted to be anything else. 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