---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What we make testifies who we are. People…"
description: "\"What we make testifies who we are. People can sense care and can sense carelessness. This relates to respect for each other and carelessness is persona..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a3/jonathan-ive-3015_care_what-we-make-testifies-who-we-are-people_1460744.png"
---

#  What we make testifies who we are. People can sense care…

![“What we make testifies who we are. People can sense care and can sense carelessness. This relates to respect for each other and carelessness is personally offensive.” quote by Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a3/jonathan-ive-3015_care_what-we-make-testifies-who-we-are-people_1460744.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a3/jonathan-ive-3015_care_what-we-make-testifies-who-we-are-people_1460744.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a3/jonathan-ive-3015_care_what-we-make-testifies-who-we-are-people_1460744.png)

> “What we make testifies who we are. People can sense care and can sense carelessness. This relates to respect for each other and carelessness is personally offensive.”

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

## About This Quote

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

Design reveals the maker’s values; care manifests in quality, while neglect shows disrespect.

**In simple terms:** Design reflects who we are.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize care in your work.

Themes

design ethics respect carelessness

Mood

critical inspirational

Type

professional ethical

When to use this quote

- product development
- team leadership
- client presentations
- quality audits

Key Concepts

intentionality quality human‑centered design

Questions to Reflect On

- How does your work show care for users?
- What signs of carelessness do you notice in design?

A Different Perspective

Carelessness can be unintentional, not always a moral failing.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Carelessness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carelessness/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/)

## Related quotes

> [What we make testifies who we are. People can sense care and can sense carelessness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/what-we-make-testifies-who-we-are-people-can-sense-care-and-can-sense/)

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

> [“...one should not only be smart in his head, but one should also be smart in how he relates to other people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-whyte-iii/one-should-not-only-be-smart-in-his-head-but-one-should-also-be-smart/)

[Daniel Whyte III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-whyte-iii/)

> [And we do talk a lot about my past and my impression of things and how it relates to what we're doing now. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-lookinland/and-we-do-talk-a-lot-about-my-past-and-my-impression-of-things-and/)

[Mike Lookinland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-lookinland/)

> [When I began we did not really have a lot of First Amendment law. It is really surprising to think of it this way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-abrams/when-i-began-we-did-not-really-have-a-lot-of-first-amendment-law-it/)

[Floyd Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-abrams/)

> [As it relates to society in general, I think we are inviting God's judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-t-cathy/as-it-relates-to-society-in-general-i-think-we-are-inviting-god-s/)

Dan T. Cathy

> [You have to find something there that relates to the characters and reality on some level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-garber/you-have-to-find-something-there-that-relates-to-the-characters-and/)

[Victor Garber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-garber/)

> [A house isn't really understandable until it settles into the site: until it's built, furnished and lived in for four or five years. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaquelin-t-robertson/a-house-isn-t-really-understandable-until-it-settles-into-the-site/)

[Jaquelin T. Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaquelin-t-robertson/)

> [Americans simply ask for, not just Democrats in the House but also the Senate has asked the President for a clear plan as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendrick-meek/americans-simply-ask-for-not-just-democrats-in-the-house-but-also-the/)

[Kendrick Meek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendrick-meek/)

> [Wow, this relates to me so much:/](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience/wow-this-relates-to-me-so-much/)

Patience

> [Everyone relates differently to contemporary stuff. They rely on you to do the research for a period film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-bridges/everyone-relates-differently-to-contemporary-stuff-they-rely-on-you/)

[Mark Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-bridges/)

> [I think that once you're able to sort of get in line with who and how you relate to the world, you'll become closer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/i-think-that-once-you-re-able-to-sort-of-get-in-line-with-who-and-how/)

[Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/)

> [The people, when they say 'Death to America!' - do you know what they are really saying? What they mean to say relates to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hassan-rouhani/the-people-when-they-say-death-to-america-do-you-know-what-they-are/)

[Hassan Rouhani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hassan-rouhani/)

> [Lawsuits are rare and catastrophic experiences for the vast majority of men, and even when the catastrophe ensues, the controversy relates most often not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-n-cardozo/lawsuits-are-rare-and-catastrophic-experiences-for-the-vast-majority/)

[Benjamin N. Cardozo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-n-cardozo/)

> [As social is where consumers' eyeballs are, businesses must take ownership of their online company profiles. By providing their customers with a place to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holmes/as-social-is-where-consumers-eyeballs-are-businesses-must-take/)

[Ryan Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holmes/)

> [The sound was my greatest concern. There were certain difficulties getting used to the way every musician can hear his or herself, the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-sound-was-my-greatest-concern-there-were-certain-difficulties/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## More by Jonathan Ive

> [My father was a very good craftsman. He made furniture, he made silverware and he had an incredible gift in terms of how you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/my-father-was-a-very-good-craftsman-he-made-furniture-he-made/)

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

> [The more I learnt about this cheeky - almost rebellious - company, the more it appealed to me, as it unapologetically pointed to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/the-more-i-learnt-about-this-cheeky-almost-rebellious-company-the/)

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

> [To design something really new and innovative you have to reject reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/to-design-something-really-new-and-innovative-you-have-to-reject/)

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

> [The most important thing is that you actually care, that you do something to the very best of your ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/the-most-important-thing-is-that-you-actually-care-that-you-do/)

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

> [We’re surrounded by anonymous, poorly made objects. It’s tempting to think it’s because the people who use them don’t care-just like the people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/we-re-surrounded-by-anonymous-poorly-made-objects-it-s-tempting-to/)

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

> [And I said couldn't we be more moderate? And he said why? And I said because I care about the team. And he said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/and-i-said-couldn-t-we-be-more-moderate-and-he-said-why-and-i-said/)

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

> [The absence of clutter is just a clutter-free product. That's not simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/the-absence-of-clutter-is-just-a-clutter-free-product-that-s-not/)

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

> [In our quest to quickly make three-dimensional objects, we can miss out on the experience of making something that helps give us our first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/in-our-quest-to-quickly-make-three-dimensional-objects-we-can-miss/)

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

> [A beautiful product that doesn't work very well is ugly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/a-beautiful-product-that-doesn-t-work-very-well-is-ugly/)

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

> [We don't do focus groups - that is the job of the designer. It's unfair to ask people who don't have a sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/we-don-t-do-focus-groups-that-is-the-job-of-the-designer-it-s-unfair/)

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

> [I am very aware that I'm the product of growing up in England and the tradition of designing and making, of England industrialising first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/i-am-very-aware-that-i-m-the-product-of-growing-up-in-england-and-the/)

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

> [It's a very strange thing for a designer to say, but one of the things that really irritates me in products is when I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/it-s-a-very-strange-thing-for-a-designer-to-say-but-one-of-the-things/)

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

> [We won't do something different for different's sake. Designers cave in to marketing, to the corporate agenda, which is sort of, 'Oh, it looks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/we-won-t-do-something-different-for-different-s-sake-designers-cave/)

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

> [As a kid, I remember taking apart whatever I could get my hands on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/as-a-kid-i-remember-taking-apart-whatever-i-could-get-my-hands-on/)

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

> [I find that when I write, I need things to be quiet, but when I design, I can't bear it if it's quiet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/i-find-that-when-i-write-i-need-things-to-be-quiet-but-when-i-design/)

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

[Explore all 142 Jonathan Ive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

## More Care quotes

> [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/)

[Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/)

> [We all know what it feels like to love someone and care about them and want to protect them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiana-madeira/we-all-know-what-it-feels-like-to-love-someone-and-care-about-them/)

[Kiana Madeira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiana-madeira/)

> [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/)

[Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/)

> [I certainly do care for you Jeff Campbell less than you are always thinking and much more than you are ever knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-certainly-do-care-for-you-jeff-campbell-less-than-you-are-always/)

[Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/)

> [Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. Future job and economic growth in industry, defense, transportation, agriculture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bond/advances-in-technology-will-continue-to-reach-far-into-every-sector/)

[Christopher Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bond/)

> [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/)

[Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/)

> [I believe in taxation and health care that is outside the usual libertarian mandate, because I don't want people to have to suffer. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/i-believe-in-taxation-and-health-care-that-is-outside-the-usual/)

[Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/)

> [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/)

> [What makes you care about nature, about the planet? Is it really that you're afraid of what's going to happen if you don't take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eisenstein/what-makes-you-care-about-nature-about-the-planet-is-it-really-that/)

[Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/)

> [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/)

[Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/)

> [When you're in your twenties and starting out, the problem is that you care about being cool. Being older, I can care less about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-righton/when-you-re-in-your-twenties-and-starting-out-the-problem-is-that-you/)

[James Righton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-righton/)

> [When will society, like a mother, take care of all her children?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/when-will-society-like-a-mother-take-care-of-all-her-children/)

[Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/)

> [I don't care if you make a print on a bath mat, just as long as it is a good print.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-weston/i-don-t-care-if-you-make-a-print-on-a-bath-mat-just-as-long-as-it-is/)

[Edward Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-weston/)

> [The world's problems are, by and large, human problems-the unavoidable consequence of egoic sleepwalking. If we care to look, all the signs are present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/the-world-s-problems-are-by-and-large-human-problems-the-unavoidable/)

[Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/)

> [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/)

[John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/)

[Browse all 19,019 Care quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "What we make testifies who we are. People can sense care and can sense carelessness. This relates to respect for each other and carelessness is personally offensive.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jonathan Ive"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/what-we-make-testifies-who-we-are-people-can-sense-care-and-can-sense-2/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Care"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/what-we-make-testifies-who-we-are-people-can-sense-care-and-can-sense-2/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a3/jonathan-ive-3015_care_what-we-make-testifies-who-we-are-people_1460744.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a3/jonathan-ive-3015_care_what-we-make-testifies-who-we-are-people_1460744.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a3/jonathan-ive-3015_care_what-we-make-testifies-who-we-are-people_1460744.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“What we make testifies who we are. People can sense care and can sense carelessness. This relates to respect…” — Jonathan Ive",
                "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": "Jonathan Ive",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "What we make testifies who we...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/what-we-make-testifies-who-we-are-people-can-sense-care-and-can-sense-2/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/what-we-make-testifies-who-we-are-people-can-sense-care-and-can-sense-2/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
