--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can't change people. You know that…" description: "\"“You can't change people. You know that. You can't make them stop hating each other, or longing to blow up the world, not by walking through the rain a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/john-mortimer-7362_change_you-can-t-change-people-you-know-that-yo_786653.jpg" --- # You can't change people. You know that. You can't make… ![“You can't change people. You know that. You can't make them stop hating each other, or longing to blow up the world, not by walking through the rain and singing to a small guitar. Most you can do for them is pull them out of the womb, thump them on the backside and let them get on with it.” quote by John Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/john-mortimer-7362_change_you-can-t-change-people-you-know-that-yo_786653.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/john-mortimer-7362_change_you-can-t-change-people-you-know-that-yo_786653.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/john-mortimer-7362_change_you-can-t-change-people-you-know-that-yo_786653.jpg) > ““You can't change people. You know that. You can't make them stop hating each other, or longing to blow up the world, not by walking through the rain and singing to a small guitar. Most you can do for them is pull them out of the womb, thump them on the backside and let them get on with it.”” [John Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People cannot be forced to change; they must learn through experience and personal consequences. **In simple terms:** Change must come from within. Key Takeaway Accept limits of influence. Themes personal responsibility limitations growth Mood reflective serious Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - parenting - education - leadership - conflict resolution Key Concepts psychology behavioral change Questions to Reflect On - How can you support autonomy while guiding others? - What boundaries should you set when influencing? A Different Perspective People may resist change despite external pressure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-people/) [Hating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hating/) [Pull Womb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pull-womb-6050949/) [Stop hating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stop-hating/) ## Related quotes > [Holding Your Anger Is A Poison. It Eats You From Inside. We Think That Hating Is A Weapon That Attacks The Person Who Harmed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/holding-your-anger-is-a-poison-it-eats-you-from-inside-we-think-that/) [Pacifiersucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pacifiersucker/) > [Uh, pussy ass nigga stop hating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muniir-zero/uh-pussy-ass-nigga-stop-hating/) [Muniir Zero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muniir-zero/) > [If you can't stop hating, you know what? I'll pop a glock in your mouth and make a brain slushy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-can-t-stop-hating-you-know-what-i-ll-pop-a-glock-in-your-mouth/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Haters stop hating Don't you have something better to do? Talking about me, you're the one with issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/haters-stop-hating-don-t-you-have-something-better-to-do-talking/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Stop hating yourself for everything you aren't and start loving yourself for everything you already are...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfaaz/stop-hating-yourself-for-everything-you-aren-t-and-start-loving/) [Alfaaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfaaz/) > [I was still searching for someone to blame for my suffering. I really wanted someone to transfer my hate to, so that I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/i-was-still-searching-for-someone-to-blame-for-my-suffering-i-really/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) > [Miley is not a slut, Taylor is not ugly, Demi is not fat, and Justin is not a gay. Grow up and stop hating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wiz-khalifa/miley-is-not-a-slut-taylor-is-not-ugly-demi-is-not-fat-and-justin-is/) [Wiz Khalifa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wiz-khalifa/) > [Islamists and their sympathizers hate us, and they will not stop hating us until we convert to ancient Islam. There is no middle ground…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hoekstra/islamists-and-their-sympathizers-hate-us-and-they-will-not-stop/) [Pete Hoekstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hoekstra/) > [If you hate the guy stop loving him,so you stop hating them...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie/if-you-hate-the-guy-stop-loving-him-so-you-stop-hating-them/) [Debbie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie/) > [Stop hating yourself for what you aren't and start loving yourself for what you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-mbululo-jr/stop-hating-yourself-for-what-you-aren-t-and-start-loving-yourself/) [Ally Mbululo Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-mbululo-jr/) > [Stop hating on a n\*gga that is a weak emotion, the lady of a n\*gga.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/stop-hating-on-a-n-gga-that-is-a-weak-emotion-the-lady-of-a-n-gga/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [If we are going to teach the world to stop hating the different, the other, then we’re going to have to start with children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-travers/if-we-are-going-to-teach-the-world-to-stop-hating-the-different-the/) [Mary Travers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-travers/) > [“When he did that, I didn't hate him anymore, I really didn't, and maybe this is why people do so many hateful things to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brock-clarke/when-he-did-that-i-didn-t-hate-him-anymore-i-really-didn-t-and-maybe/) [Brock Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brock-clarke/) > [Women need to stop hating on each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-rose/women-need-to-stop-hating-on-each-other/) [Amber Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-rose/) > [“You made them hate me." Said Ender "So? What will you do about it? Crawl in a corner? Start kissing their little backsides so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/you-made-them-hate-me-said-ender-so-what-will-you-do-about-it-crawl/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) ## More by John Mortimer > [“Take sex, for instance.' 'What do you want me to do with it?' 'Try to be serious for a moment. Take the sex life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/take-sex-for-instance-what-do-you-want-me-to-do-with-it-try-to-be/) [John Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/) > [I knew nothing about farce until I read Puce a l'Oreille, and had no idea what a deadly serious business it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/i-knew-nothing-about-farce-until-i-read-puce-a-l-oreille-and-had-no/) [John Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/) > [Do we want blanks, asterisks and exclamation marks which people can fill in with their own imaginations, or are we prepared and strong enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/do-we-want-blanks-asterisks-and-exclamation-marks-which-people-can/) [John Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/) > [Voting Liberal is a non-thing. Historically, it might be a good idea to have a Conservative government, because change is a good thing. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/voting-liberal-is-a-non-thing-historically-it-might-be-a-good-idea-to/) [John Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/) > [“I sent out words like soldiers to battle and they never returned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/i-sent-out-words-like-soldiers-to-battle-and-they-never-returned/) [John Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/) > [Dying is a matter of slapstick and pratfalls. The ageing process is not gradual or gentle. It rushes up, pushes you over and runs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/dying-is-a-matter-of-slapstick-and-pratfalls-the-ageing-process-is/) [John Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/) > [No brilliance is required in law, just common sense and relatively clean fingernails.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/no-brilliance-is-required-in-law-just-common-sense-and-relatively/) [John Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/) > [The people look forbidding, solemn, marked by that impossible ideal, Communism, which, like Christianity, seemed to demand too much of humanity and, falling into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/the-people-look-forbidding-solemn-marked-by-that-impossible-ideal/) [John Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/) > [There is always time for failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/there-is-always-time-for-failure/) [John Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/) > [Irritable Judges suffer from a bad case of premature adjudication.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/irritable-judges-suffer-from-a-bad-case-of-premature-adjudication/) [John Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/) > [I try and treat my children from the age of ten months as if they were totally grown up, which I think is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/i-try-and-treat-my-children-from-the-age-of-ten-months-as-if-they/) [John Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/) > [Check-ups are, in my experience, a grave mistake; all they do is allow the quack of your choice to tell you that you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/check-ups-are-in-my-experience-a-grave-mistake-all-they-do-is-allow/) [John Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/) > [I don't believe in children's books. I think after you've read Kidnapped, Treasure Island, and Huckleberry Finn, you're ready for anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/i-don-t-believe-in-children-s-books-i-think-after-you-ve-read/) [John Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/) > [“The main aim of education should be to send children out into the world with a reasonably sized anthology in their heads so that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/the-main-aim-of-education-should-be-to-send-children-out-into-the/) [John Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/) > [On the three pigs he and his wife own: "We acquired the pigs last year. My wife was born on a pig farm and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/on-the-three-pigs-he-and-his-wife-own-we-acquired-the-pigs-last-year/) [John Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/) [Explore all 92 John Mortimer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) [Phil Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hogan/) > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You can't change people. You know that. You can't make them stop hating each other, or longing to blow up the world, not by walking through the rain and singing to a small guitar. Most you can do for them is pull them out of the womb, thump them on the backside and let them get on with it.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Mortimer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/you-can-t-change-people-you-know-that-you-can-t-make-them-stop-hating/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/you-can-t-change-people-you-know-that-you-can-t-make-them-stop-hating/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/john-mortimer-7362_change_you-can-t-change-people-you-know-that-yo_786653.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/john-mortimer-7362_change_you-can-t-change-people-you-know-that-yo_786653.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/john-mortimer-7362_change_you-can-t-change-people-you-know-that-yo_786653.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can't change people. You know that. You can't make them stop hating each other, or longing to blow up…” — John Mortimer", "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 Mortimer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“You can't change people. You know...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/you-can-t-change-people-you-know-that-you-can-t-make-them-stop-hating/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/you-can-t-change-people-you-know-that-you-can-t-make-them-stop-hating/#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 } } ] } ```