--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nothing seems to matter but ourselves…" description: "\"Nothing seems to matter but ourselves. That's not how I was brought up. I don't recognize the country I live in anymore.\" — Jeff Daniels" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fa/jeff-daniels-12465_brought_nothing-seems-to-matter-but-ourselves-th_1455911.png" --- # Nothing seems to matter but ourselves. That's not how I… ![“Nothing seems to matter but ourselves. That's not how I was brought up. I don't recognize the country I live in anymore.” quote by Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fa/jeff-daniels-12465_brought_nothing-seems-to-matter-but-ourselves-th_1455911.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fa/jeff-daniels-12465_brought_nothing-seems-to-matter-but-ourselves-th_1455911.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fa/jeff-daniels-12465_brought_nothing-seems-to-matter-but-ourselves-th_1455911.png) > “Nothing seems to matter but ourselves. That's not how I was brought up. I don't recognize the country I live in anymore.” [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He expresses alienation from his country, feeling that personal values outweigh national identity. **In simple terms:** He feels disconnected from his nation. Key Takeaway Reevaluate personal versus collective identity. Themes politics identity disillusionment Mood melancholic thoughtful Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - immigration debates - personal essays - social commentary Questions to Reflect On - What defines belonging for you? - How do personal values shape civic engagement? A Different Perspective National ties can be complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Patriotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotism/) ## Related quotes > [I think many people simply feel like they don't recognize their country anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cornyn/i-think-many-people-simply-feel-like-they-don-t-recognize-their/) [John Cornyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cornyn/) > [The present no matter what I brought couldn’t change the past. The Past was set and sealed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/the-present-no-matter-what-i-brought-couldn-t-change-the-past-the/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [Aishwarya, my parent's daughter, has been brought up with enough values inculcated where I will use my discretion in my choices. 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I'd gone to New York early in 1976 and did a lot of theater, but I really wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/i-always-wanted-to-do-films-i-d-gone-to-new-york-early-in-1976-and/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) > [I love the theater, but if I had to choose, I would choose a film at this time in my life. Something meaty, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/i-love-the-theater-but-if-i-had-to-choose-i-would-choose-a-film-at/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) > [I just never did buy this idea that you have to live in Los Angeles to be an actor. I didn't see that as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/i-just-never-did-buy-this-idea-that-you-have-to-live-in-los-angeles/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) > [One of the more noble things the Oscars can do is pay attention to movies no one knows about. Blockbusters don't need much help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/one-of-the-more-noble-things-the-oscars-can-do-is-pay-attention-to/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) > [There is no best anything in art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/there-is-no-best-anything-in-art/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) > [I never starved. And you know, whatever talent I have, I've relied on that, versus image or star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/i-never-starved-and-you-know-whatever-talent-i-have-i-ve-relied-on/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) > [The older you get, and the more you're in this business, the more you kind of feel like, 'Why don't we just do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/the-older-you-get-and-the-more-you-re-in-this-business-the-more-you/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) > [I was haunted by trainers going "Up, up, up, get up." You find yourself picking your head up and then realizing, They aren't talking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/i-was-haunted-by-trainers-going-up-up-up-get-up-you-find-yourself/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) > [On cable now, the writer is king. Any actor chases that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/on-cable-now-the-writer-is-king-any-actor-chases-that/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) > [I think we have the attention span of a gnat. You know, with cell phones and Twitter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/i-think-we-have-the-attention-span-of-a-gnat-you-know-with-cell/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) > [ There is no best anything in art. Phillip \[Hoffman\] isn't better than Heath \[Ledger\]; Joaquin \[Phoenix\] isn't better than David \[Strathairn\] or Terence \[Howard\].… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/there-is-no-best-anything-in-art-phillip-hoffman-isn-t-better-than/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) > [There are so many projects that you go into hoping the story works, and here comes a new third act and that kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/there-are-so-many-projects-that-you-go-into-hoping-the-story-works/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) > [Give me good writing, and I'll play it all day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/give-me-good-writing-and-i-ll-play-it-all-day/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) > [On indies it's hard to do, but in rehearsals, you make mistakes in rehearsal. It's really hard rehearsing a play or what rehearsal you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/on-indies-it-s-hard-to-do-but-in-rehearsals-you-make-mistakes-in/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) [Explore all 54 Jeff Daniels quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) ## More Brought quotes > [I was brought up in the U.A.E.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-tresa/i-was-brought-up-in-the-u-a-e/) [Catherine Tresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-tresa/) > [One of the key characteristics of the comic book medium is that it is not brought to life by just one voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lee/one-of-the-key-characteristics-of-the-comic-book-medium-is-that-it-is/) [Jim Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lee/) > [“If everyone could be brought low, then everyone could rise up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicki-salcedo/if-everyone-could-be-brought-low-then-everyone-could-rise-up/) [Nicki Salcedo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicki-salcedo/) > [They brought on someone who cost more than our stadium.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-rodgers/they-brought-on-someone-who-cost-more-than-our-stadium/) [Brendan Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-rodgers/) > [I'm a fan of supersymmetry, largely because it seems to be the only route by which gravity can be brought into the scheme. 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He looked down on pop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-and-the-diamonds/my-dad-s-quite-a-conservative-person-and-he-brought-me-up-to-be-very/) [Marina and the Diamonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-and-the-diamonds/) > [Alfred Nobel believed that social changes are brought about slowly, and sometimes by indirect means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertha-von-suttner/alfred-nobel-believed-that-social-changes-are-brought-about-slowly/) [Bertha von Suttner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertha-von-suttner/) > [He brought a sensibility and a hard-edged reasonableness to operating restaurants that had a lasting impact on me and still affects how I run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-bastianich/he-brought-a-sensibility-and-a-hard-edged-reasonableness-to-operating/) [Joe Bastianich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-bastianich/) > [I was a serious competitive figure skater and still ice-skate as much as I can. Anyway, I once brought a date to the rink…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-serratos/i-was-a-serious-competitive-figure-skater-and-still-ice-skate-as-much/) [Christian Serratos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-serratos/) > [I was brought up by the English side of my family, who are very repressed and working class. Absolutely lovely, but very English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bat-for-lashes/i-was-brought-up-by-the-english-side-of-my-family-who-are-very/) [Bat for Lashes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bat-for-lashes/) > [It's with them that we have constituted a liberation front and brought our logistic support to armies to help their countries come out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/it-s-with-them-that-we-have-constituted-a-liberation-front-and/) [Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) > [The fact of the matter is that the Internet has brought together millions of people who trust one another for reasons that are unknown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-huh/the-fact-of-the-matter-is-that-the-internet-has-brought-together/) [Ben Huh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-huh/) > [Aishwarya, my parent's daughter, has been brought up with enough values inculcated where I will use my discretion in my choices. At the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aishwarya-rai-bachchan/aishwarya-my-parent-s-daughter-has-been-brought-up-with-enough-values/) [Aishwarya Rai Bachchan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aishwarya-rai-bachchan/) > [It has been my honor to support and work with President Barack Obama, a man who has brought courage and character to the presidency.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-reid/it-has-been-my-honor-to-support-and-work-with-president-barack-obama/) [Harry Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-reid/) Browse all 729 Brought quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Nothing seems to matter but ourselves. That's not how I was brought up. 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