--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Men have never fully used [their] powers…" description: "\"Men have never fully used [their] powers to advance the good in life, because they have waited upon some power external to themselves and to nature to ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/john-dewey-545_atheist_men-have-never-fully-used-their-powers-t_2081598.png" --- # Men have never fully used \[their\] powers to advance the… ![“Men have never fully used [their] powers to advance the good in life, because they have waited upon some power external to themselves and to nature to do the work they are responsible for doing.” quote by John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/john-dewey-545_atheist_men-have-never-fully-used-their-powers-t_2081598.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/john-dewey-545_atheist_men-have-never-fully-used-their-powers-t_2081598.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/john-dewey-545_atheist_men-have-never-fully-used-their-powers-t_2081598.png) > “Men have never fully used \[their\] powers to advance the good in life, because they have waited upon some power external to themselves and to nature to do the work they are responsible for doing.” [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People rely on external forces instead of their own abilities, limiting progress toward good. **In simple terms:** Relying on self, not external power. Key Takeaway Activate personal agency. Themes responsibility self‑efficacy social good empowerment Mood thoughtful motivational Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - community projects - personal development - civic engagement - policy making Key Concepts philosophy education political theory Questions to Reflect On - What internal resources can you mobilize? - How do you balance external help with personal action? A Different Perspective External reliance can hinder initiative and accountability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) [External Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/external-nature-1972072/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men Fully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-fully-2307049/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powers/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Responsible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsible/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) [Used Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used-powers-3369400/) ## Related quotes > [“If only I had used my powers for good instead of for trivia!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermester-barrington/if-only-i-had-used-my-powers-for-good-instead-of-for-trivia/) [Hermester Barrington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermester-barrington/) > [The men who have most fully illustrated Christ in their character and have most powerfully affected the world for Him have been men who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-mckendree-bounds/the-men-who-have-most-fully-illustrated-christ-in-their-character-and/) [Edward McKendree Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-mckendree-bounds/) > [We go into space because whatever mankind must undertake, free men must fully share.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/we-go-into-space-because-whatever-mankind-must-undertake-free-men/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [Happiness is never a negative affair; it is to be won by men who are fully alive, full of the joy of living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aga-khan-iii/happiness-is-never-a-negative-affair-it-is-to-be-won-by-men-who-are/) [Aga Khan III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aga-khan-iii/) > [Great men are but common men more fully developed and ripened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/great-men-are-but-common-men-more-fully-developed-and-ripened/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [It is good and very grand to conquer external nature, but grander still to conquer our internal nature… This conquering of the inner man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/it-is-good-and-very-grand-to-conquer-external-nature-but-grander/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [External nature is only internal nature writ large.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/external-nature-is-only-internal-nature-writ-large/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [It is not a certain conformity of manners that the painting of Van Gogh attacks, but rather the conformity of institutions themselves. 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It doesn't matter whether they're priests or ministers or atheists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashcroft/people-who-commit-crimes-should-be-responsible-for-those-crimes-it/) [John Ashcroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashcroft/) > [It was both necessary and desirable for us to be so strong at sea that no Sea Power could attack us without risk, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-von-bulow/it-was-both-necessary-and-desirable-for-us-to-be-so-strong-at-sea/) [Bernhard von Bulow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-von-bulow/) > [The whole nuclear-arms-control and non-proliferation policy of the nuclear powers is a fraud: The Americans could not prevent the Soviets from replicating their weaponry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conrad-black/the-whole-nuclear-arms-control-and-non-proliferation-policy-of-the/) [Conrad Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conrad-black/) > [“Her mother said that three great powers kept the universe going. The first and the strongest was God. Each of the two additional powers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/her-mother-said-that-three-great-powers-kept-the-universe-going-the/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [I would rather excel others in the knowledge of what is excellent than in the extent of my powers and dominion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/i-would-rather-excel-others-in-the-knowledge-of-what-is-excellent/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) ## More by John Dewey > [“The deepest urge in human nature is the desire to be important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/the-deepest-urge-in-human-nature-is-the-desire-to-be-important/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [“Empirically, things are poignant, tragic, beautiful, humorous, settled, disturbed, comfortable, annoying, barren, harsh, consoling, splendid, fearful; are such immediately and in their own right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/empirically-things-are-poignant-tragic-beautiful-humorous-settled/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [A good aim surveys the present state of experience of pupils, and forming a tentative plan of treatment, keeps the plan constantly in view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/a-good-aim-surveys-the-present-state-of-experience-of-pupils-and/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [Experiences in order to be educative must lead out into an expanding world of subject matter, a subject matter of facts or information and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/experiences-in-order-to-be-educative-must-lead-out-into-an-expanding/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [A tribe, let us say, is warlike. 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The notion that some subjects and methods and that acquaintance with certain facts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/there-is-no-such-thing-as-educational-value-in-the-abstract-the/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [Men live in a community in virtue of the things which they have in common; and communication is the way in which they come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/men-live-in-a-community-in-virtue-of-the-things-which-they-have-in/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [We can have facts without thinking but we cannot have thinking without facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/we-can-have-facts-without-thinking-but-we-cannot-have-thinking/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [But progress in knowledge has made us aware of the superficiality of Plato's lumping of individuals and their original powers into a few sharply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/but-progress-in-knowledge-has-made-us-aware-of-the-superficiality-of/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [Even the alleged benefits of war, so far as more than alleged, spring from the fact that conflict of peoples at least enforces intercourse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/even-the-alleged-benefits-of-war-so-far-as-more-than-alleged-spring/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [“When the organization called soul is free, moving and operative, initial as well as terminal, it is spirit. Qualities are both static, substantial, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/when-the-organization-called-soul-is-free-moving-and-operative/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [Since in reality there is nothing to which growth is relative save more growth, there is nothing to which education is subordinate save more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/since-in-reality-there-is-nothing-to-which-growth-is-relative-save/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [Creative thinking will improve as we relate the new fact to the old and all facts to each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/creative-thinking-will-improve-as-we-relate-the-new-fact-to-the-old/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) [Explore all 486 John Dewey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) ## More Atheist quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [That the world is in a bad shape is undeniable, but there is not the faintest reason in history to suppose that Christianity offers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/that-the-world-is-in-a-bad-shape-is-undeniable-but-there-is-not-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [Atheist’s denial of God’s existence needs just as much substantiation as does the theist’s claim; the atheist must give plausible reasons for rejecting God’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-copan/atheist-s-denial-of-god-s-existence-needs-just-as-much-substantiation/) [Paul Copan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-copan/) > [“The atheist joined his hands. It wasn't against the Gods. He smiled, with his hands folded, saw his daughter's in-laws approaching near.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhavik-sarkhedi/the-atheist-joined-his-hands-it-wasn-t-against-the-gods-he-smiled/) [Bhavik Sarkhedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhavik-sarkhedi/) > [I am surprised that anyone can profess to be an atheist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-comfort/i-am-surprised-that-anyone-can-profess-to-be-an-atheist/) [Ray Comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-comfort/) > [“I have found it an amusing strategy, when asked whether I am an atheist, to point out that the questioner is also an atheist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-have-found-it-an-amusing-strategy-when-asked-whether-i-am-an/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [An Atheist wandering down a road where he meets up a four road junction , he asks a passer by hey !, where does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/an-atheist-wandering-down-a-road-where-he-meets-up-a-four-road/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [Good churches are not built by bad men; at least, there must be probity and enthusiasm somewhere in the society. 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Beyond that, I may differ dramatically in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-carrier/i-am-like-all-other-atheists-only-in-that-i-do-not-believe-there-are/) [Richard Carrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-carrier/) [Browse all 2,434 Atheist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Men have never fully used [their] powers to advance the good in life, because they have waited upon some power external to themselves and to nature to do the work they are responsible for doing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Dewey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/men-have-never-fully-used-their-powers-to-advance-the-good-in-life/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Atheist" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/men-have-never-fully-used-their-powers-to-advance-the-good-in-life/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/john-dewey-545_atheist_men-have-never-fully-used-their-powers-t_2081598.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/john-dewey-545_atheist_men-have-never-fully-used-their-powers-t_2081598.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/john-dewey-545_atheist_men-have-never-fully-used-their-powers-t_2081598.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Men have never fully used [their] powers to advance the good in life, because they have waited upon some…” — John Dewey", "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": "John Dewey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Men have never fully used [their]...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/men-have-never-fully-used-their-powers-to-advance-the-good-in-life/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/men-have-never-fully-used-their-powers-to-advance-the-good-in-life/#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 } } ] } ```