--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As I think about anyone or anything…" description: "\"As I think about anyone or anything -- whether history or literature or my father or political organizations or a poem or a film -- as I seek to evalua..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/june-jordan-5050_commitment_as-i-think-about-anyone-or-anything-whet_867988.jpg" --- # As I think about anyone or anything -- whether history or… ![“As I think about anyone or anything -- whether history or literature or my father or political organizations or a poem or a film -- as I seek to evaluate the potentiality, the life-supportive commitment and possibilities of anyone or any thing, the decisive question is always where is the love?” quote by June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/june-jordan-5050_commitment_as-i-think-about-anyone-or-anything-whet_867988.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/june-jordan-5050_commitment_as-i-think-about-anyone-or-anything-whet_867988.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/june-jordan-5050_commitment_as-i-think-about-anyone-or-anything-whet_867988.jpg) > “As I think about anyone or anything -- whether history or literature or my father or political organizations or a poem or a film -- as I seek to evaluate the potentiality, the life-supportive commitment and possibilities of anyone or any thing, the decisive question is always where is the love?” [June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When assessing any person or work, the essential measure is the presence of love and its supportive power. **In simple terms:** Love is the key gauge of value. Key Takeaway Seek love as the core criterion. Themes love evaluation humanity art relationships Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal relationships - art criticism - family dynamics - political analysis Key Concepts ethical assessment empathy critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - What does love look like in this context? - Can love be measured objectively? A Different Perspective Love can be subjective and hard to quantify. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Commitment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commitment/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organization/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Possibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possibility/) [Potentiality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/potentiality/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I have not only found good health, but perfect health; I have found a new state of being, a potentiality of life; a sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/upton-sinclair/i-have-not-only-found-good-health-but-perfect-health-i-have-found-a/) [Upton Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/upton-sinclair/) > [Our essential nature is one of pure potentiality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/our-essential-nature-is-one-of-pure-potentiality/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [When I say that you are gods and goddesses I mean that your possibility is infinite, your potentiality is infinite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/when-i-say-that-you-are-gods-and-goddesses-i-mean-that-your/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Potentially evil. Potentially good, too, I suppose. Just this huge powerful potentiality waiting to be shaped.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/potentially-evil-potentially-good-too-i-suppose-just-this-huge/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [ “\[T\]he great, irreplaceable potentiality of fiction is that it makes possible the imagining of possibilities.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amitav-ghosh/t-he-great-irreplaceable-potentiality-of-fiction-is-that-it-makes/) [Amitav Ghosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amitav-ghosh/) > [“Procrastination is an eclipse to your true potential.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neeraj-agnihotri/procrastination-is-an-eclipse-to-your-true-potential/) [Neeraj Agnihotri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neeraj-agnihotri/) > [To me it seems not unreasonable to find a re-enforcement of optimism, a renewal of courage and hope, in the modern theory that man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/to-me-it-seems-not-unreasonable-to-find-a-re-enforcement-of-optimism/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [ Potentiality knocks on the door of my heart. \[On Seeing The 100% Perfect Girl One Beautiful April Morning \] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/potentiality-knocks-on-the-door-of-my-heart-on-seeing-the-100-perfect/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“We have no idea what lies ahead or how God will open doors of potentiality when we consciously choose to get out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luci-swindoll/we-have-no-idea-what-lies-ahead-or-how-god-will-open-doors-of/) [Luci Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luci-swindoll/) > [Every individual has the potentiality to become enlightened in the course of this life or later existences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anagarika-govinda/every-individual-has-the-potentiality-to-become-enlightened-in-the/) [Anagarika Govinda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anagarika-govinda/) > [“Every body should be given the chance and the necessary support to unearth their full potential.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-body-should-be-given-the-chance-and-the-necessary-support-to/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [The potentiality of perfection outweighs actual contradictions... Existence in itself is here to prove that it cannot be an evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/the-potentiality-of-perfection-outweighs-actual-contradictions/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [“she loves the potentiality and the reality of each friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/she-loves-the-potentiality-and-the-reality-of-each-friend/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [Potentiality knocks on the door of my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/potentiality-knocks-on-the-door-of-my-heart/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Now, nothing can be brought from potentiality to actual existence except through something actually existing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/now-nothing-can-be-brought-from-potentiality-to-actual-existence/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) ## More by June Jordan > [But, based on my friendship with Evie as young mothers, I started going on freedom rides in 1966.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/but-based-on-my-friendship-with-evie-as-young-mothers-i-started-going/) [June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/) > [I am working never to be late again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/i-am-working-never-to-be-late-again/) [June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/) > [To tell the truth is to become beautiful, to begin to love yourself, value yourself. And that's political, in its most profound way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/to-tell-the-truth-is-to-become-beautiful-to-begin-to-love-yourself/) [June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/) > [In America, you can segregate the people, but the problems will travel. From slavery to equal rights, from state suppression of dissent to crime,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/in-america-you-can-segregate-the-people-but-the-problems-will-travel/) [June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/) > [We survive our love because we go on loving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/we-survive-our-love-because-we-go-on-loving/) [June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/) > [Americans have begun to understand that trouble does not start somewhere on the other side of town. It seems to originate inside the absolute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/americans-have-begun-to-understand-that-trouble-does-not-start/) [June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/) > [The United States Supreme Court, once a reliable if ultimate recourse for progressive and even revolutionary grievances, has become a retrograde wellspring for enormous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/the-united-states-supreme-court-once-a-reliable-if-ultimate-recourse/) [June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/) > [My father was very intense, passionate and over-the-top. He was my hero and my tyrant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/my-father-was-very-intense-passionate-and-over-the-top-he-was-my-hero/) [June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/) > [The purpose of polite behavior is never virtuous. Deceit, surrender, and concealment these are not virtues. The goal of the mannerly is comfort, per…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/the-purpose-of-polite-behavior-is-never-virtuous-deceit-surrender-and/) [June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/) > [“the motivation behind every sentence is the wish to say something real to somebody real.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/the-motivation-behind-every-sentence-is-the-wish-to-say-something/) [June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/) > [Bisexuality means I am free and I am as likely to want to love a woman as I am likely to want to love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/bisexuality-means-i-am-free-and-i-am-as-likely-to-want-to-love-a/) [June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/) > [“...love without being destroyed...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/love-without-being-destroyed/) [June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/) > [Body and soul, Black America reveals the extreme questions of contemporary life, questions of freedom and identity: How can I be who I am?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/body-and-soul-black-america-reveals-the-extreme-questions-of/) [June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/) > [South Africa used to seem so far away. Then it came home to me. It began to signify the meaning of white hatred here.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/south-africa-used-to-seem-so-far-away-then-it-came-home-to-me-it/) [June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/) > [The thing about genius is it will never yield to circumstances. Genius regards what's given as the beginning of its need to find or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/the-thing-about-genius-is-it-will-never-yield-to-circumstances-genius/) [June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/) [Explore all 104 June Jordan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/) ## More Commitment quotes > [Deepen your existing spiritual commitment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-buettner/deepen-your-existing-spiritual-commitment/) [Dan Buettner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-buettner/) > [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/) > [Certainly these are not easy times. But history does not contain very many easy times. Years from now, we will look back at this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/certainly-these-are-not-easy-times-but-history-does-not-contain-very/) [Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/) > [Trust is about keeping commitments, but in many instances, circumstances change and organizations therefore shed commitments, things such as retiree medical benefits, pension obligations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/trust-is-about-keeping-commitments-but-in-many-instances/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [“You make me believe in happiness... if I had my way, if anything were up to me, I’d never be without you. You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-kirchoff/you-make-me-believe-in-happiness-if-i-had-my-way-if-anything-were-up/) [Courtney Kirchoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-kirchoff/) > [Golf is such a big commitment, and so is acting. Sometimes you have to give up something to do something else, although, when I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-newton/golf-is-such-a-big-commitment-and-so-is-acting-sometimes-you-have-to/) [Kathryn Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-newton/) > [All of the barriers to innovation in the energy sector are arguments for a big commitment to public investment. Only the public sector can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nordhaus/all-of-the-barriers-to-innovation-in-the-energy-sector-are-arguments/) [Ted Nordhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nordhaus/) > [When you make a commitment to a relationship, you invest your attention and energy in it more profoundly because you now experience ownership of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-de-angelis/when-you-make-a-commitment-to-a-relationship-you-invest-your/) [Barbara De Angelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-de-angelis/) > [ “For \[erotically intelligent couples\], love is a vessel that contains both security and adventure, and commitment offers one of the great luxuries of life:… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/for-erotically-intelligent-couples-love-is-a-vessel-that-contains/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) > [Having a point to start is important. You know that when you decide to write something it's like a commitment. It's like falling in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/having-a-point-to-start-is-important-you-know-that-when-you-decide-to/) [Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/) > [A commitment to lifelong learning is a natural expression of the practice of living consciously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/a-commitment-to-lifelong-learning-is-a-natural-expression-of-the/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) > [A lasting relationship consists of the 3 C's: Commitment. Communication. Compromise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/a-lasting-relationship-consists-of-the-3-c-s-commitment-communication/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [I've developed a huge regard for Toyota for its environmental awareness, for its immense commitment to research and development in this field, and for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-strong/i-ve-developed-a-huge-regard-for-toyota-for-its-environmental/) [Maurice Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-strong/) > [And the commitment that I've been giving to the Australian people is that there'll be no surprises and no excuses under a Coalition government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/and-the-commitment-that-i-ve-been-giving-to-the-australian-people-is/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [As a result of reading science fiction when I was eight, I grew up with an interest in music, architecture, city planning, transportation, politics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/as-a-result-of-reading-science-fiction-when-i-was-eight-i-grew-up/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) [Browse all 4,004 Commitment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commitment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As I think about anyone or anything -- whether history or literature or my father or political organizations or a poem or a film -- as I seek to evaluate the potentiality, the life-supportive commitment and possibilities of anyone or any thing, the decisive question is always where is the love?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "June Jordan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/as-i-think-about-anyone-or-anything-whether-history-or-literature-or/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Commitment" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/as-i-think-about-anyone-or-anything-whether-history-or-literature-or/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/june-jordan-5050_commitment_as-i-think-about-anyone-or-anything-whet_867988.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/june-jordan-5050_commitment_as-i-think-about-anyone-or-anything-whet_867988.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/june-jordan-5050_commitment_as-i-think-about-anyone-or-anything-whet_867988.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As I think about anyone or anything -- whether history or literature or my father or political organizations…” — June Jordan", "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": "June Jordan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As I think about anyone or...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/as-i-think-about-anyone-or-anything-whether-history-or-literature-or/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/as-i-think-about-anyone-or-anything-whether-history-or-literature-or/#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 } } ] } ```