--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have broken the cycle of dependency…" description: "\"We have broken the cycle of dependency. People have found out they're better off working.\" — John Engler" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c02/john-engler-16761_better-off_we-have-broken-the-cycle-of-dependency-p_1056651.jpg" --- # We have broken the cycle of dependency. People have found… ![“We have broken the cycle of dependency. People have found out they're better off working.” quote by John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c02/john-engler-16761_better-off_we-have-broken-the-cycle-of-dependency-p_1056651.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c02/john-engler-16761_better-off_we-have-broken-the-cycle-of-dependency-p_1056651.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c02/john-engler-16761_better-off_we-have-broken-the-cycle-of-dependency-p_1056651.jpg) > “We have broken the cycle of dependency. People have found out they're better off working.” [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Claims that breaking dependency cycles leads people to prefer work over assistance **In simple terms:** People choose work when freed from dependency Key Takeaway Promote policies that encourage self‑reliance Themes economics policy self‑sufficiency Mood pragmatic critical Type policy economic When to use this quote - employment programs - job training - community outreach Key Concepts Labor market dynamics welfare reform Questions to Reflect On - What support do individuals need to sustain employment? - How can policies balance assistance and independence? A Different Perspective May overlook structural barriers to employment ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Broken promises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/broken-promises/) [Dependency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dependency/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Promise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promise/) ## Related quotes > [I'm better off working as opposed to lying around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-newton/i-m-better-off-working-as-opposed-to-lying-around/) [Wayne Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-newton/) > [Americans are better off in a dynamic, free-enterprise-based economy that fosters economic growth, opportunity and upward mobility instead of a stagnant, government-directed economy that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/americans-are-better-off-in-a-dynamic-free-enterprise-based-economy/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [I just happen to think people are better off doing something they actually like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/i-just-happen-to-think-people-are-better-off-doing-something-they/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [Study after study has demonstrated that people are better off financially, healthier, happier if they are married, and indeed, I repeat, if they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-turnbull/study-after-study-has-demonstrated-that-people-are-better-off/) [Malcolm Turnbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-turnbull/) > [I think a lot of people would be better off in America, where at least you would find some radio station somewhere that would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-may/i-think-a-lot-of-people-would-be-better-off-in-america-where-at-least/) [Brian May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-may/) > [I've learned that usually, the less I know about other people, the better off I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/i-ve-learned-that-usually-the-less-i-know-about-other-people-the/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [Soviet people are better off materially and richer spiritually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonid-brezhnev/soviet-people-are-better-off-materially-and-richer-spiritually/) [Leonid Brezhnev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonid-brezhnev/) > [The less one, as a result of objective or subjective conditions, has to come into contact with people, the better off one is for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/the-less-one-as-a-result-of-objective-or-subjective-conditions-has-to/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [Maybe some people are better off in obscurity than trying to keep on expanding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erika-m-anderson/maybe-some-people-are-better-off-in-obscurity-than-trying-to-keep-on/) [Erika M. 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And people would become better if they stopped trying to become better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-maurin/the-world-would-be-better-off-if-people-tried-to-become-better-and/) [Peter Maurin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-maurin/) > [Market society is a game where you win by making sure other people are better off with you than without you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-schmidtz/market-society-is-a-game-where-you-win-by-making-sure-other-people/) David Schmidtz > [I won't stop fighting to make life better for working Americans and give those who are just trying to find a decent job the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/i-won-t-stop-fighting-to-make-life-better-for-working-americans-and/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) > [“Working from His presence is better than working for His presence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/working-from-his-presence-is-better-than-working-for-his-presence/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [I have no intention of retiring. Even my blood sugar is better when I'm working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-stritch/i-have-no-intention-of-retiring-even-my-blood-sugar-is-better-when-i/) [Elaine Stritch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-stritch/) ## More by John Engler > [All 50 states had the same national economy. And on virtually any measurement you wish to look at, Michigan has moved up and improved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/all-50-states-had-the-same-national-economy-and-on-virtually-any/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) > [Michigan is also the only industrial state that has a AAA credit rating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/michigan-is-also-the-only-industrial-state-that-has-a-aaa-credit/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) > [I wish we could have acted quicker on Detroit or other failing schools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/i-wish-we-could-have-acted-quicker-on-detroit-or-other-failing-schools/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) > [Sometimes it is better to begin the journey, to get under way, then it is to sit back and wait until such time that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/sometimes-it-is-better-to-begin-the-journey-to-get-under-way-then-it/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) > [I've been in the legislative branch and now the executive branch and in each case I felt it was important we use our constitutional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/i-ve-been-in-the-legislative-branch-and-now-the-executive-branch-and/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) > [The asbestos problem impacts everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/the-asbestos-problem-impacts-everyone/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) > [I expect my next job to be outside government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/i-expect-my-next-job-to-be-outside-government/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) > [You win by working hard, making tough decisions and building coalitions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/you-win-by-working-hard-making-tough-decisions-and-building-coalitions/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) > [I've gone from being one of the youngest governors to now the longest consecutive serving governor in the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/i-ve-gone-from-being-one-of-the-youngest-governors-to-now-the-longest/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) > [Nobody gets any guarantees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/nobody-gets-any-guarantees/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) > [Despite these hurdles, manufacturers in the U.S. and their employees are doing remarkable work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/despite-these-hurdles-manufacturers-in-the-u-s-and-their-employees/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) > [The parent knows instinctively that if they're working and setting an example for their child that means that child is more likely to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/the-parent-knows-instinctively-that-if-they-re-working-and-setting-an/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) > [The greatest luck that I've had has been the ability to find men and women who came into my administration who worked with me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/the-greatest-luck-that-i-ve-had-has-been-the-ability-to-find-men-and/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) > [I had made a decision early on that we were going to do the right things and that if they worked we were going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/i-had-made-a-decision-early-on-that-we-were-going-to-do-the-right/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) > [I think we've got outstanding teaching in Michigan classrooms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/i-think-we-ve-got-outstanding-teaching-in-michigan-classrooms/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) [Explore all 39 John Engler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) ## More Better off quotes > [Market society is a game where you win by making sure other people are better off with you than without you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-schmidtz/market-society-is-a-game-where-you-win-by-making-sure-other-people/) David Schmidtz > [We know, Southern men declare that their slaves are better off than hired laborers amongst us. How little they know, whereof they speak! There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/we-know-southern-men-declare-that-their-slaves-are-better-off-than/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [When you are poor, you'll have to think of ways to be better off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zong-qinghou/when-you-are-poor-you-ll-have-to-think-of-ways-to-be-better-off/) [Zong Qinghou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zong-qinghou/) > [You're better off owning 30 percent and having two amazing partners who compliment you and are equally as driven as you are than having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-dyrdek/you-re-better-off-owning-30-percent-and-having-two-amazing-partners/) [Rob Dyrdek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-dyrdek/) > [If you’d just center your thoughts and affections upon the Lord, you’d be better off accidentally than you’ve ever been on purpose!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-wommack/if-you-d-just-center-your-thoughts-and-affections-upon-the-lord-you-d/) [Andrew Wommack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-wommack/) > [24.9 percent of American children live in poverty, while the proportions in Germany, France and Italy are 8.6, 7.4 and 10.5 percent. And once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-hutton/24-9-percent-of-american-children-live-in-poverty-while-the/) [Will Hutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-hutton/) > [There definitely was a time when I was pretty obsessed with my weight, but I'm better off not stressing about my body all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-duff/there-definitely-was-a-time-when-i-was-pretty-obsessed-with-my-weight/) [Hilary Duff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-duff/) > [If you're talking about intellectual and social equality for women, we're not much better off.America is still very much a male-dominated society. Most American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madalyn-murray-o-hair/if-you-re-talking-about-intellectual-and-social-equality-for-women-we/) [Madalyn Murray O'Hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madalyn-murray-o-hair/) > [Business runs hot and cold so the more you're in charge of your own destiny, the better off you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/business-runs-hot-and-cold-so-the-more-you-re-in-charge-of-your-own/) [Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/) > [I know that you're better off making your own products, not just waiting for someone to hand you something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-winslow/i-know-that-you-re-better-off-making-your-own-products-not-just/) [Michael Winslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-winslow/) > [The best calculation is the absence of calculation. Once you have attained a certain level of recognition, others generally figure that when you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/the-best-calculation-is-the-absence-of-calculation-once-you-have/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [I applaud the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act. This was discrimination enshrined in law. It treated loving, committed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-applaud-the-supreme-court-s-decision-to-strike-down-the-defense-of/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [It's like a rugby team. If you're picking for the World Cup final, you're picking experience with youth. Everything is better off having that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince-william/it-s-like-a-rugby-team-if-you-re-picking-for-the-world-cup-final-you/) [Prince William](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince-william/) > [The sooner we get started with alternative energy sources and recognize that fossil fuels makes us less secure as a nation, and more dangerous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-graham/the-sooner-we-get-started-with-alternative-energy-sources-and/) [Lindsey Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-graham/) > [ Any small business owner wears many hats. We \[New View Window Cleaning\] are the salesman, bookkeeper, scheduler, cleaner, customer complaint department, etc. If you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-evans/any-small-business-owner-wears-many-hats-we-new-view-window-cleaning/) [Tony Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-evans/) Browse all 465 Better off quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We have broken the cycle of dependency. 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