--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A community is only a community when the…" description: "\"A community is only a community when the majority of its members are making the transition from 'the community for myself' to 'myself for the community..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b6/jean-vanier-3367_community_a-community-is-only-a-community-when-the_128987.png" --- # A community is only a community when the majority of its… ![“A community is only a community when the majority of its members are making the transition from 'the community for myself' to 'myself for the community'.” quote by Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b6/jean-vanier-3367_community_a-community-is-only-a-community-when-the_128987.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b6/jean-vanier-3367_community_a-community-is-only-a-community-when-the_128987.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b6/jean-vanier-3367_community_a-community-is-only-a-community-when-the_128987.png) > “A community is only a community when the majority of its members are making the transition from 'the community for myself' to 'myself for the community'.” [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True community emerges when members shift from self‑centered to community‑centered service. **In simple terms:** Community works when people serve others. Key Takeaway Serve others to build genuine community. Themes community service selflessness Mood inspired empathetic Type social philosophical When to use this quote - volunteering - neighborhood projects - team building Key Concepts collectivism social responsibility Practical Applications - Encourage members to prioritize collective goals Questions to Reflect On - How can you foster a service mindset? - What barriers prevent self‑less participation? A Different Perspective Self‑interest can persist despite intentions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Transition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transition/) ## Related quotes > [“This transition from community to network life is truly at the heart of the increasing feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and anomie that many people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-transition-from-community-to-network-life-is-truly-at-the-heart/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Community means caring: caring for people. Dietrich Bonhoeffer says: "He who loves community destroys community; he who loves the brethren builds community." A community…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/community-means-caring-caring-for-people-dietrich-bonhoeffer-says-he/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [Since signing up to Think Act Report, the majority of members are taking more action and publishing more information on gender equality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-swinson/since-signing-up-to-think-act-report-the-majority-of-members-are/) [Jo Swinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-swinson/) > [Having plead guilty, I do not believe that I am any different than the vast majority of the members of Congress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rostenkowski/having-plead-guilty-i-do-not-believe-that-i-am-any-different-than-the/) Dan Rostenkowski > [“There is no commerce without community. And there is no community without commerce”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-jennae/there-is-no-commerce-without-community-and-there-is-no-community/) [Michele Jennae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-jennae/) > [The real community of man, in the midst of all the self-contradictory simulacra of community, is the community of those who seek the truth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-bloom/the-real-community-of-man-in-the-midst-of-all-the-self-contradictory-2/) [Allan Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-bloom/) > [Community is another such phenomenon. Like electricity, it is profoundly lawful. Yet there remains something about it that is inherently mysterious, miraculous, unfathomable. Thus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/community-is-another-such-phenomenon-like-electricity-it-is/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [The real community of man, in the midst of all the self-contraditory simulacra of community, is the community of those who seek the truth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-bloom/the-real-community-of-man-in-the-midst-of-all-the-self-contraditory/) [Allan Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-bloom/) > [Community cannot take root in a divided life. Long before community assumes external shape and form, it must be present as seed in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-j-palmer/community-cannot-take-root-in-a-divided-life-long-before-community/) [Parker J. Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-j-palmer/) > [We mainly focus on putting music, art, dance, theater, all forms of art, back into the community, so the community can put it into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erykah-badu/we-mainly-focus-on-putting-music-art-dance-theater-all-forms-of-art/) [Erykah Badu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erykah-badu/) > [What an opportunity we have to be a community…A community where there are models.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-smith/what-an-opportunity-we-have-to-be-a-community-a-community-where-there/) [Judah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judah-smith/) > [The concepts of community and community life, have since the Dreaming, always held special significance for Aboriginal people because both provided the physical, cultural,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wyatt/the-concepts-of-community-and-community-life-have-since-the-dreaming/) [Ken Wyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wyatt/) > [When the people who support and are a part of your community, the community you have the pleasure and power and opportunity to serve,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brogan/when-the-people-who-support-and-are-a-part-of-your-community-the/) [Chris Brogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brogan/) > [“Community, community, community. It's ALL about community. That's the explanation of why it pains us when we find ourselves isolated from others. That's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-coppernoll/community-community-community-it-s-all-about-community-that-s-the/) [Chris Coppernoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-coppernoll/) > [Writers are a loosely knit community - community is an overstated word. Writers don't see each other very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/writers-are-a-loosely-knit-community-community-is-an-overstated-word/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) ## More by Jean Vanier > [When we start helping the weak and the poor to rise everyone will begin to change. Those who have power and riches will start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/when-we-start-helping-the-weak-and-the-poor-to-rise-everyone-will/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [...Individualistic material progress and the desire to gain prestige by coming out on top have taken over from the sense of fellowship, compassion and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/individualistic-material-progress-and-the-desire-to-gain-prestige-by/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [To invite others to live with us is a sign that we aren't afraid, that we have a treasure of truth and of peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/to-invite-others-to-live-with-us-is-a-sign-that-we-aren-t-afraid-that/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [People are longing to rediscover true community. We have had enough of loneliness, independence and competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/people-are-longing-to-rediscover-true-community-we-have-had-enough-of/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [The person in misery does not need a look that judges and criticizes but a comforting presence that brings peace and hope and life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/the-person-in-misery-does-not-need-a-look-that-judges-and-criticizes/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [All of us have a secret desire to be seen as saints, heroes, martyrs. We are afraid to be children, to be ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/all-of-us-have-a-secret-desire-to-be-seen-as-saints-heroes-martyrs-we/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [To be free is to put justice, truth and service to others over and above our personal gain or our need for recognition, power,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/to-be-free-is-to-put-justice-truth-and-service-to-others-over-and/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [If we love (the poor) people, we want to identify with them and share with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/if-we-love-the-poor-people-we-want-to-identify-with-them-and-share/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [“Sympathies and antipathies . . . Human friendships can very quickly become a club of mediocrities, enclosed in mutual flattery and approval, preventing people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/sympathies-and-antipathies-human-friendships-can-very-quickly-become/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [Each person is sacred, no matter what his or her culture, religion, handicap, or fragility. Each person is created in God’s image; each one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/each-person-is-sacred-no-matter-what-his-or-her-culture-religion/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [But let us not put our sights too high. We do not have to be saviours of the world! We are simply human beings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/but-let-us-not-put-our-sights-too-high-we-do-not-have-to-be-saviours/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [Each human being, however small or weak, has something to bring to humanity. As we start to really get to know others, as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/each-human-being-however-small-or-weak-has-something-to-bring-to/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [“Have patience . . . We are not the masters of our own feelings of attraction or revulsion; these come from places in ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/have-patience-we-are-not-the-masters-of-our-own-feelings-of/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [The people with the best sense of what is essential to a community, of what gives and maintains its spirit, are often doing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/the-people-with-the-best-sense-of-what-is-essential-to-a-community-of/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [The poor are always prophetic. As true prophets always point out, they reveal God's design. That is why we should take time to listen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/the-poor-are-always-prophetic-as-true-prophets-always-point-out-they/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) [Explore all 132 Jean Vanier quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) ## More Community quotes > [Race is the idea that a human being is more superior than another human being, race in society grants illusional rights to mistreat each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/race-is-the-idea-that-a-human-being-is-more-superior-than-another/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-sarabhai/but-we-are-convinced-that-if-we-are-to-play-a-meaningful-role/) [Vikram Sarabhai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-sarabhai/) > [In the hearing world, I'm constantly having to lip-read and trying to understand what's going on. Sign language is so beautiful. It gives you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-ayling-ellis/in-the-hearing-world-i-m-constantly-having-to-lip-read-and-trying-to/) [Rose Ayling-Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-ayling-ellis/) > [The strains and stresses suffered by the individual in society are grounded in the normal functioning of that society (and of the individual!) rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-marcuse/the-strains-and-stresses-suffered-by-the-individual-in-society-are/) [Herbert Marcuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-marcuse/) > [Hackney gets a bit of a bad rap, but it's the only place I've ever lived that felt like a community. I know my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-horgan/hackney-gets-a-bit-of-a-bad-rap-but-it-s-the-only-place-i-ve-ever/) [Sharon Horgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-horgan/) > [ The social \[media channel\] isn't about beauty contests and popularity contests. They're a distortion, a caricature of the real thing. It's about trust, connection,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/the-social-media-channel-isn-t-about-beauty-contests-and-popularity/) [Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/) > [We're at a point in history were we have to become a part of the neighborhood of inhabited planets, like a neighborhood of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/we-re-at-a-point-in-history-were-we-have-to-become-a-part-of-the/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [It rolls off my back. Ridicule doesn't mean anything - even from people you're supposed to wear knee pads around, like the scientific community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-schultz/it-rolls-off-my-back-ridicule-doesn-t-mean-anything-even-from-people/) [Dwight Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-schultz/) > [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [I think that most of us, anyway, read these stories that we know are not "true" because we're hungry for another kind of truth:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-think-that-most-of-us-anyway-read-these-stories-that-we-know-are/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [Human life consists of doing certain things ... to take part in the life of the community; to be able to talk about subjects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/human-life-consists-of-doing-certain-things-to-take-part-in-the-life/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [Parents who are stressed or disturbed will have more difficulty in meeting their children's needs. Parents who have little support--from friends, relatives, neighbors, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/parents-who-are-stressed-or-disturbed-will-have-more-difficulty-in/) Sheila Kamerman > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [Perhaps the greatest and least visible form of impoverishment caused by the Corporate State is the destruction of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-reich/perhaps-the-greatest-and-least-visible-form-of-impoverishment-caused/) [Charles A. Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-reich/) [Browse all 13,840 Community quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A community is only a community when the majority of its members are making the transition from 'the community for myself' to 'myself for the community'.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jean Vanier" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/a-community-is-only-a-community-when-the-majority-of-its-members-are/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Community" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/a-community-is-only-a-community-when-the-majority-of-its-members-are/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b6/jean-vanier-3367_community_a-community-is-only-a-community-when-the_128987.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b6/jean-vanier-3367_community_a-community-is-only-a-community-when-the_128987.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b6/jean-vanier-3367_community_a-community-is-only-a-community-when-the_128987.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A community is only a community when the majority of its members are making the transition from 'the…” — Jean Vanier", "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 Vanier", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A community is only a community...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/a-community-is-only-a-community-when-the-majority-of-its-members-are/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/a-community-is-only-a-community-when-the-majority-of-its-members-are/#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 } } ] } ```