---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For too long in this society, we have…"
description: "\"For too long in this society, we have celebrated unrestrained individualism over common community.\" — Joe Biden"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89c/joe-biden-454_common_for-too-long-in-this-society-we-have-cel_592336.jpg"
---

#  For too long in this society, we have celebrated…

![“For too long in this society, we have celebrated unrestrained individualism over common community.” quote by Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89c/joe-biden-454_common_for-too-long-in-this-society-we-have-cel_592336.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89c/joe-biden-454_common_for-too-long-in-this-society-we-have-cel_592336.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89c/joe-biden-454_common_for-too-long-in-this-society-we-have-cel_592336.jpg)

> “For too long in this society, we have celebrated unrestrained individualism over common community.”

[Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Society has overvalued extreme individualism at the expense of community solidarity.

**In simple terms:** We prioritize selfishness over shared responsibility.

Key Takeaway

Balance personal freedom with communal care.

Themes

individualism community social responsibility politics

Mood

concerned hopeful

Type

political motivational

When to use this quote

- Public policy debates
- neighborhood initiatives
- workplace culture
- family decisions

Key Concepts

Collectivism social contract

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we foster community without stifling individuality?
- What policies best blend personal liberty with collective good?

A Different Perspective

Individualism can drive innovation but may erode social bonds.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Individualism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individualism/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/)

## Related quotes

> [“For too long in this society, we have celebrated unrestrained individualism over common community. For too long as a nation, we have been lulled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/for-too-long-in-this-society-we-have-celebrated-unrestrained-2/)

[Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/)

> [I don't think my father had a direct influence on me, but I do think, more or less, I was influenced by his independent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/i-don-t-think-my-father-had-a-direct-influence-on-me-but-i-do-think/)

[Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/)

> [This society turns everything it touches into a potential source of progress and exploitation, of drudgery and satisfaction, of freedom and of oppression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-marcuse/this-society-turns-everything-it-touches-into-a-potential-source-of/)

[Herbert Marcuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-marcuse/)

> [Sadly, at a time when so much sophisticated cultural criticism by hip intellectuals from diverse locations extols a vision of cultural hybridity, border crossing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/sadly-at-a-time-when-so-much-sophisticated-cultural-criticism-by-hip/)

[Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/)

> [There's a little book I'm thinking of writing - "Swan Song" is what I shall call it. The song of the dying. And my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxim-gorky/there-s-a-little-book-i-m-thinking-of-writing-swan-song-is-what-i/)

[Maxim Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxim-gorky/)

> [During the election people from visible minorities stood as candidates on both the left and the right. And only one African woman was elected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-gaubert/during-the-election-people-from-visible-minorities-stood-as/)

Patrick Gaubert

> [Nothing is more important than restoring a high degree of autonomy to educational experiences so that those who grow up in this society and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/nothing-is-more-important-than-restoring-a-high-degree-of-autonomy-to/)

[Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/)

> [The road to being somebody in this society starts with education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/the-road-to-being-somebody-in-this-society-starts-with-education/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [Your parents were always trying to get you to be careful when you were a kid, and that's all pervasive in this society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-weir/your-parents-were-always-trying-to-get-you-to-be-careful-when-you/)

[Bob Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-weir/)

> [In this society, if a man is called a woman, that's the biggest insult he could get...Is that because women are considered something less?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrej-pejic/in-this-society-if-a-man-is-called-a-woman-that-s-the-biggest-insult/)

[Andrej Pejic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrej-pejic/)

> [To feel is perhaps the most terrifying thing in this society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecil-taylor/to-feel-is-perhaps-the-most-terrifying-thing-in-this-society/)

[Cecil Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecil-taylor/)

> [Our people have made the mistake of confusing the methods with the objectives. As long as we agree on objectives, we should never fall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/our-people-have-made-the-mistake-of-confusing-the-methods-with-the/)

[Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/)

> [Thai society rarely attempts to control literature in the same way that it vigilantly polices visual art. It's ironic because people in this society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/araya-rasdjarmrearnsook/thai-society-rarely-attempts-to-control-literature-in-the-same-way/)

[Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/araya-rasdjarmrearnsook/)

> [Life in this society being, at best, an utter bore and no aspect of society being at all relevant to women, there remains to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-solanas/life-in-this-society-being-at-best-an-utter-bore-and-no-aspect-of/)

[Valerie Solanas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-solanas/)

> [I am devoting my lecture in this seminar to a discussion of the possibility that we are now entering a Jewish century, a time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-a-siegel/i-am-devoting-my-lecture-in-this-seminar-to-a-discussion-of-the/)

Martin A. Siegel

## More by Joe Biden

> [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/)

[Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/)

> [I always kid the president in different circumstances. Mr. President, a country's never going to be more optimistic than the president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/i-always-kid-the-president-in-different-circumstances-mr-president-a/)

[Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/)

> [Anybody who pretends that how you read the 10th and 11th Amendment doesn't have a fundamental impact on the things we care about is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/anybody-who-pretends-that-how-you-read-the-10th-and-11th-amendment/)

[Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/)

> [“He wanted me to understand two big things: First, that nobody, no group, is above others. Public servants are obliged to level with everybody,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/he-wanted-me-to-understand-two-big-things-first-that-nobody-no-group/)

[Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/)

> [Don't hold against me that I don't own - that I don't own a single stock or bond. Don't hold it - I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/don-t-hold-against-me-that-i-don-t-own-that-i-don-t-own-a-single/)

[Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/)

> [“True bravery is when there is very little chance of winning, but you keep fighting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/true-bravery-is-when-there-is-very-little-chance-of-winning-but-you/)

[Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/)

> [No public funding for abortion; it imposes a view.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/no-public-funding-for-abortion-it-imposes-a-view/)

[Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/)

> [I've known and continue to know every one of these major world leaders by their first names, and I have access to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/i-ve-known-and-continue-to-know-every-one-of-these-major-world/)

[Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/)

> [We are working to deploy a powerful new radar network with American early warning systems,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/we-are-working-to-deploy-a-powerful-new-radar-network-with-american/)

[Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/)

> [I'm joking, I'm joking. Best decision I ever made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/i-m-joking-i-m-joking-best-decision-i-ever-made/)

[Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/)

> [ Somalis have made my city of Wilmington, Delaware, \[their home\] on a smaller scale. There is a large, very identifiable Somali community, i might… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/somalis-have-made-my-city-of-wilmington-delaware-their-home-on-a/)

[Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/)

> [“And don’t any of you, by the way, any of you guys vote Republican. I’m not supposed to say, this isn’t political. …don’t come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/and-don-t-any-of-you-by-the-way-any-of-you-guys-vote-republican-i-m/)

[Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/)

> [We also wanted to change the story - change the approach to the 21st century on energy, on education, on transportation, on infrastructure, generally,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/we-also-wanted-to-change-the-story-change-the-approach-to-the-21st/)

[Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/)

> [The spirit of Thanksgiving rests in our recognizing the blessings in our lives, and as we all take stock, I hope you will join…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/the-spirit-of-thanksgiving-rests-in-our-recognizing-the-blessings-in/)

[Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/)

> [The president has a big stick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/the-president-has-a-big-stick/)

[Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/)

[Explore all 546 Joe Biden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/)

## More Common quotes

> [I'm Fine!, the most common LIE in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/punkinhead-abhishek/i-m-fine-the-most-common-lie-in-the-world/)

[Punkinhead Abhishek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/punkinhead-abhishek/)

> [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/)

[Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/)

> [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/)

[John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/)

> [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/)

[Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/)

> [Our times demand the declaration of the world's resources as the common heritage of all people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/our-times-demand-the-declaration-of-the-world-s-resources-as-the/)

[Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/)

> [ Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a \[Soviet socialistic\] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-national-socialism-have-anything/)

[Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/)

> [When you have a cavity in your tooth and you let it get worse, eventually you have to get a root canal. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/when-you-have-a-cavity-in-your-tooth-and-you-let-it-get-worse/)

[Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/)

> [There is nothing that we can properly call our own but our time, and yet everybody fools us out of it who has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/there-is-nothing-that-we-can-properly-call-our-own-but-our-time-and/)

[Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/)

> [Common sense is nothing more than a deposit of prejudices laid down in the mind before you reach eighteen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/common-sense-is-nothing-more-than-a-deposit-of-prejudices-laid-down/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/)

[Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/)

> [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/)

[Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/)

> [A time will come when the science of destruction shall bend before the arts of peace; when the genius which multiplies our powers, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-arago/a-time-will-come-when-the-science-of-destruction-shall-bend-before/)

[Francois Arago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-arago/)

> [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/)

[John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/)

> [It is a tragedy that we live in a world where physical courage is so common, and moral courage is so rare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-monet/it-is-a-tragedy-that-we-live-in-a-world-where-physical-courage-is-so/)

[Claude Monet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-monet/)

> [Those who advocate common usage in philosophy sometimes speak in a manner that suggests the mystique of the 'common man.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/those-who-advocate-common-usage-in-philosophy-sometimes-speak-in-a/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

Browse all 7,866 Common quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "For too long in this society, we have celebrated unrestrained individualism over common community.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Joe Biden"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/for-too-long-in-this-society-we-have-celebrated-unrestrained/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Common"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/for-too-long-in-this-society-we-have-celebrated-unrestrained/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89c/joe-biden-454_common_for-too-long-in-this-society-we-have-cel_592336.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89c/joe-biden-454_common_for-too-long-in-this-society-we-have-cel_592336.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89c/joe-biden-454_common_for-too-long-in-this-society-we-have-cel_592336.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“For too long in this society, we have celebrated unrestrained individualism over common community.” — Joe Biden",
                "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": "Joe Biden",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "For too long in this society,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/for-too-long-in-this-society-we-have-celebrated-unrestrained/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/for-too-long-in-this-society-we-have-celebrated-unrestrained/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
