--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We shouldn't persuade people that we can…" description: "\"We shouldn't persuade people that we can simply conjure up the sun and the moon: at the most, we can deliver a telescope.\" — Jean-Claude Juncker" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e01/jean-claude-juncker-3277_moon_we-shouldn-t-persuade-people-that-we-can_2283163.png" --- # We shouldn't persuade people that we can simply conjure up… ![“We shouldn't persuade people that we can simply conjure up the sun and the moon: at the most, we can deliver a telescope.” quote by Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e01/jean-claude-juncker-3277_moon_we-shouldn-t-persuade-people-that-we-can_2283163.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e01/jean-claude-juncker-3277_moon_we-shouldn-t-persuade-people-that-we-can_2283163.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e01/jean-claude-juncker-3277_moon_we-shouldn-t-persuade-people-that-we-can_2283163.png) > “We shouldn't persuade people that we can simply conjure up the sun and the moon: at the most, we can deliver a telescope.” [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We can only provide tools, not miracles; realistic expectations matter. **In simple terms:** We can give tools, not magic. Key Takeaway Offer practical solutions, not false promises. Themes realism expectations leadership Mood pragmatic inspirational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - policy making - public speaking - education - science outreach Key Concepts instrumentalism ethical communication Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance hope with realism? - What tools truly empower others? A Different Perspective People may still demand impossible results. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conjure Sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conjure-sun-5336764/) [Deliver Telescope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deliver-telescope-5336762/) [Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moon/) [Moon Deliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moon-deliver-5336763/) [Most](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/most/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Persuade People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persuade-people-1235721/) [Sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sun/) [Sun And The Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sun-and-the-moon/) [Telescope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telescope/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) ## Related quotes > [It was not hard to persuade people that the market was sound; as always in such times they asked only that the dispiriting voices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/it-was-not-hard-to-persuade-people-that-the-market-was-sound-as/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [It's better to get smart than to get mad. I try not to get so insulted that I will not take advantage of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-johnson/it-s-better-to-get-smart-than-to-get-mad-i-try-not-to-get-so-insulted/) [John H. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-johnson/) > [The best way to persuade people is with your ears - by listening to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-rusk/the-best-way-to-persuade-people-is-with-your-ears-by-listening-to-them/) [Dean Rusk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-rusk/) > [It is wise to persuade people to do things and make them think it was their own idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-is-wise-to-persuade-people-to-do-things-and-make-them-think-it-was/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I feel like it is easy to get people to see eye-to-eye with you on little things, but if I were to talk about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-thiessen/i-feel-like-it-is-easy-to-get-people-to-see-eye-to-eye-with-you-on/) [Matt Thiessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-thiessen/) > [Life happens too fast for you ever to think about it. If you could just persuade people of this, but they insist on amassing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/life-happens-too-fast-for-you-ever-to-think-about-it-if-you-could/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“To Drive Home a Point People think that the more they elaborate and explain, the more convincing they will be. They confuse quantity with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mcgowan/to-drive-home-a-point-people-think-that-the-more-they-elaborate-and/) [Bill McGowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mcgowan/) > [My job is to persuade people to toe the line and play within the laws of the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lewis/my-job-is-to-persuade-people-to-toe-the-line-and-play-within-the-laws/) [Alan Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lewis/) > [It was said that Mr. Gladstone could persuade most people of most things, and himself of anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-inge/it-was-said-that-mr-gladstone-could-persuade-most-people-of-most/) [Dean Inge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-inge/) > [When you're trying to persuade people, more often than not, they feel you're being pushy. When you focus on influencing them, they're much less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-goulston/when-you-re-trying-to-persuade-people-more-often-than-not-they-feel/) [Mark Goulston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-goulston/) > [“When your turn comes to jump into the Nothing, you too will be a nameless servant of power, with no will of your own.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/when-your-turn-comes-to-jump-into-the-nothing-you-too-will-be-a-2/) [Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/) > [Leaders have two characteristics: first they are going somewhere, and second they are able to persuade other people to go with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/leaders-have-two-characteristics-first-they-are-going-somewhere-and/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [I try to persuade people to act in ways that are not only in their own interest, but in the interest of society at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schlosser/i-try-to-persuade-people-to-act-in-ways-that-are-not-only-in-their/) [Eric Schlosser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schlosser/) > [We've got to rebuild human hearts - and persuade people that hope isn't just possible, but essential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-snow/we-ve-got-to-rebuild-human-hearts-and-persuade-people-that-hope-isn-t/) [Tony Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-snow/) > [When people disagree with you, what you ultimately have to do is persuade people to agree with you - period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-james/when-people-disagree-with-you-what-you-ultimately-have-to-do-is/) [Bill James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-james/) ## More by Jean-Claude Juncker > [ I don't think in national categories. For me it \[policy\] is about concepts and substance. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/i-don-t-think-in-national-categories-for-me-it-policy-is-about/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [Germany will continue to play a central - perhaps even a more important - role in the European Union. I think that we will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/germany-will-continue-to-play-a-central-perhaps-even-a-more-important/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [I am for it - not to make a threat, but to make clear that decisions that have been made are applicable law, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/i-am-for-it-not-to-make-a-threat-but-to-make-clear-that-decisions/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [With their charm and legendary sense of humor, the British directly or indirectly paved the way for a large number of European compromises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/with-their-charm-and-legendary-sense-of-humor-the-british-directly-or/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [I said in my inaugural address that I am not the Council's secretary, nor am I the Parliament's lackey. That can sometimes lead to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/i-said-in-my-inaugural-address-that-i-am-not-the-council-s-secretary/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [I have a plan. It entails leading to a fair deal and relationship with the British. We will be reasonable, but we will also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/i-have-a-plan-it-entails-leading-to-a-fair-deal-and-relationship-with/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [I am in favor of the European institutions being led for the next two-and-a-half years as they have been thus far. We need stability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/i-am-in-favor-of-the-european-institutions-being-led-for-the-next-two/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [I was never presented with the details as far as the collective bargaining system is Greece. I am in favor of a normal system…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/i-was-never-presented-with-the-details-as-far-as-the-collective/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [God understands more about the financial markets than many who write about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/god-understands-more-about-the-financial-markets-than-many-who-write/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [The outcome of the referendum does not affect those of my officials who have British nationality, since they work for Europe and not for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/the-outcome-of-the-referendum-does-not-affect-those-of-my-officials/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [I assumed office to bring the EU to a point from which there is no going back. Instead, I am having to unwind the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/i-assumed-office-to-bring-the-eu-to-a-point-from-which-there-is-no/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [I notice with a certain sense of regret that far too many Europeans are returning to a regional and national mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/i-notice-with-a-certain-sense-of-regret-that-far-too-many-europeans/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [ My father was a steel worker and Martin's \[Schulz\] grandfather was a miner in Saarland. In these occupations, there is a particular awareness of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/my-father-was-a-steel-worker-and-martin-s-schulz-grandfather-was-a/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [I completely agree with Helmut Kohl. I am not an advocate of the "United States of Europe," nor am I an integration fanatic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/i-completely-agree-with-helmut-kohl-i-am-not-an-advocate-of-the/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [How will the exit affect thousands of British pensioners living in Portugal or Spain who will lose their access to the welfare and health…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/how-will-the-exit-affect-thousands-of-british-pensioners-living-in/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) [Explore all 135 Jean-Claude Juncker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) ## More Moon quotes > [“Because as the moon followed the sun, when Illium ascended to become an archangel, Aodhan would go with him as his second.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nalini-singh/because-as-the-moon-followed-the-sun-when-illium-ascended-to-become/) [Nalini Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nalini-singh/) > [If you were to send a werewolf to the moon, would he be a werewolf permanently?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-schaal/if-you-were-to-send-a-werewolf-to-the-moon-would-he-be-a-werewolf/) [Kristen Schaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-schaal/) > [The moon of a bright silver, which dazzles by its shining, illumines a world which surely is no longer ours; for it resembles in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-loti/the-moon-of-a-bright-silver-which-dazzles-by-its-shining-illumines-a/) [Pierre Loti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-loti/) > [When other boys dreamt of going to the moon or becoming doctors, I wanted to be a designer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-theyskens/when-other-boys-dreamt-of-going-to-the-moon-or-becoming-doctors-i/) [Olivier Theyskens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-theyskens/) > [I loved you to the moon and back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/i-loved-you-to-the-moon-and-back/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [I with borrow'd silver shine, What you see is none of mine. First I show you but a quarter, Like the bow that guards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/i-with-borrow-d-silver-shine-what-you-see-is-none-of-mine-first-i/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > ['The Choirboys' is very much a product of its mid-1970s time, especially in its two-dimensional portrayals of cop groupies Ora Lee and Carolina Moon,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-weinman/the-choirboys-is-very-much-a-product-of-its-mid-1970s-time-especially/) [Sarah Weinman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-weinman/) > [After a few mouthfuls of moon-flavored air, even the stubbornly drowsy can find themselves wide-eyed.. All the normal noises of life were gone, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/after-a-few-mouthfuls-of-moon-flavored-air-even-the-stubbornly-drowsy/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) > [You can’t bake a cake without getting the kitchen messy. Halfway through surgery it looks like there’s been a murder in the operating room.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/you-can-t-bake-a-cake-without-getting-the-kitchen-messy-halfway/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it you will land among the stars." ... quote has been credited to Les Brown.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylviek/shoot-for-the-moon-even-if-you-miss-it-you-will-land-among-the-stars/) [Sylviek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylviek/) > [I was too tired to think. I merely felt the town as a unique unreality. What was it? I knew -- the moon's picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-was-too-tired-to-think-i-merely-felt-the-town-as-a-unique-unreality/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If we can send a guy to the moon we can certainly go a quarter of a mile and not get hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-prudhomme/if-we-can-send-a-guy-to-the-moon-we-can-certainly-go-a-quarter-of-a/) [Don Prudhomme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-prudhomme/) > [Never ignore a person who love you, care fot you,and misses you,because one day,you might wake up and realize, you lost the moon while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chou/never-ignore-a-person-who-love-you-care-fot-you-and-misses-you/) [Chou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chou/) > [There was only the broad square with the scattered dim moons of the street lamps and with the monumental stone arch which receded into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-maria-remarque/there-was-only-the-broad-square-with-the-scattered-dim-moons-of-the/) [Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-maria-remarque/) > [The sky was a sparkling succession of black diamonds on black velvet made crystal clear by the blackout.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/the-sky-was-a-sparkling-succession-of-black-diamonds-on-black-velvet/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) [Browse all 6,418 Moon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moon/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We shouldn't persuade people that we can simply conjure up the sun and the moon: at the most, we can deliver a telescope.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jean-Claude Juncker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/we-shouldn-t-persuade-people-that-we-can-simply-conjure-up-the-sun/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Moon" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/we-shouldn-t-persuade-people-that-we-can-simply-conjure-up-the-sun/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e01/jean-claude-juncker-3277_moon_we-shouldn-t-persuade-people-that-we-can_2283163.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e01/jean-claude-juncker-3277_moon_we-shouldn-t-persuade-people-that-we-can_2283163.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e01/jean-claude-juncker-3277_moon_we-shouldn-t-persuade-people-that-we-can_2283163.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We shouldn't persuade people that we can simply conjure up the sun and the moon: at the most, we can deliver…” — Jean-Claude Juncker", "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": "Jean-Claude Juncker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We shouldn't persuade people that we...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/we-shouldn-t-persuade-people-that-we-can-simply-conjure-up-the-sun/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/we-shouldn-t-persuade-people-that-we-can-simply-conjure-up-the-sun/#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 } } ] } ```