--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What history can do is show that people…" description: "\"“What history can do is show that people have to take responsibility for what they activate out of their tradition. It’s not just a given thing one sla..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb1/karen-l-king-93223_accountable_what-history-can-do-is-show-that-people_2802532.jpg" --- # What history can do is show that people have to take… ![“What history can do is show that people have to take responsibility for what they activate out of their tradition. It’s not just a given thing one slavishly follows. You have to be accountable.” quote by Karen L. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb1/karen-l-king-93223_accountable_what-history-can-do-is-show-that-people_2802532.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb1/karen-l-king-93223_accountable_what-history-can-do-is-show-that-people_2802532.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb1/karen-l-king-93223_accountable_what-history-can-do-is-show-that-people_2802532.jpg) > ““What history can do is show that people have to take responsibility for what they activate out of their tradition. It’s not just a given thing one slavishly follows. You have to be accountable.”” [Karen L. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-l-king/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People must take responsibility for how they interpret tradition; they are not bound to follow it blindly. **In simple terms:** Active accountability shapes tradition’s impact. Key Takeaway Own your interpretive choices. Themes responsibility tradition critical thinking Mood thoughtful critical Type academic reflective When to use this quote - education - community dialogue - personal reflection Key Concepts ethics cultural analysis Questions to Reflect On - How do you question tradition? - What responsibilities do you hold? A Different Perspective Responsibility can be overwhelming; collective effort helps. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accountable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accountable/) [Activate Tradition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activate-tradition-3460443/) [Catholicism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catholicism/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Follows Accountable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/follows-accountable-3460444/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-people/) [People Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-responsibility-515278/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Traditions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traditions/) ## Related quotes > [Since when does a militarily occupied people have the responsibility for a peace movement?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-said/since-when-does-a-militarily-occupied-people-have-the-responsibility/) [Edward Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-said/) > [The most important thing today is for young people to take responsibility, to actually know how to formulate an idea and how to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-brenner/the-most-important-thing-today-is-for-young-people-to-take/) [Sydney Brenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-brenner/) > [Rich people...take responsibility for the results in their lives and act upon the mind-set "It will work because I'll make it work."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-harv-eker/rich-people-take-responsibility-for-the-results-in-their-lives-and/) [T. Harv Eker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-harv-eker/) > [People have to take responsibility for themselves. We need to get the housing industry going again. We don't need government intervening in every step.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantor/people-have-to-take-responsibility-for-themselves-we-need-to-get-the/) [Eric Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantor/) > [Social solidarity must rest (instead) on the sole secure basis it can have: direct responsibility of people for one another. Such responsibility can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-unger/social-solidarity-must-rest-instead-on-the-sole-secure-basis-it-can/) [Roberto Unger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-unger/) > [The things I learned from the army - and I think it was a lesson for life - was how to work in unison…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oded-fehr/the-things-i-learned-from-the-army-and-i-think-it-was-a-lesson-for/) [Oded Fehr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oded-fehr/) > [People will give you the responsibility, even the authority, to go after the big things, the visionary things, the reaching for incredible opportunities, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-garcetti/people-will-give-you-the-responsibility-even-the-authority-to-go/) [Eric Garcetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-garcetti/) > [Let's just do what is right for the American people. And those of us who are involved in politics and government know that our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/let-s-just-do-what-is-right-for-the-american-people-and-those-of-us/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) > [I really need people to take responsibility for the kind of energy they bring to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-bolte-taylor/i-really-need-people-to-take-responsibility-for-the-kind-of-energy/) [Jill Bolte Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-bolte-taylor/) > [The Establishment likes people who take no responsibility and cannot respect themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/the-establishment-likes-people-who-take-no-responsibility-and-cannot/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [“to encourage people to take responsibility for who they really are. And it is the only way to show respect for each person. Focusing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-buckingham/to-encourage-people-to-take-responsibility-for-who-they-really-are/) [Marcus Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-buckingham/) > [“Because IT people can see so much, it is their responsibility to influence investment priorities, not just execute on priorities set by internal business…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-heller/because-it-people-can-see-so-much-it-is-their-responsibility-to/) [Martha Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-heller/) > [“If you know the correct path then lost people are your responsibility.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-waseem/if-you-know-the-correct-path-then-lost-people-are-your-responsibility/) [Muhammad Waseem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-waseem/) > [“People with responsibility and people without responsibility are sorry for each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/people-with-responsibility-and-people-without-responsibility-are/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [People that take responsibility are often given responsibility!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/people-that-take-responsibility-are-often-given-responsibility/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) ## More by Karen L. King > [“I’m less interested in proselytizing or a bigger tent for its own sake than in issues of human flourishing. What are the best conditions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-l-king/i-m-less-interested-in-proselytizing-or-a-bigger-tent-for-its-own/) [Karen L. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-l-king/) [Explore all 2 Karen L. King quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-l-king/) ## More Accountable quotes > [If China someday gains a more fair, just, and accountable system of government, it will be due to the hard work and efforts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/if-china-someday-gains-a-more-fair-just-and-accountable-system-of/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [I don't have a boss or PR person, so I'm accountable to no one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sacca/i-don-t-have-a-boss-or-pr-person-so-i-m-accountable-to-no-one/) [Chris Sacca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sacca/) > [Be aware and hold the government accountable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohit-chauhan/be-aware-and-hold-the-government-accountable/) [Mohit Chauhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohit-chauhan/) > [I'm against unanswerable concentrations of power, whether that be government or private industry or religious figures - anybody who is not accountable to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-suarez/i-m-against-unanswerable-concentrations-of-power-whether-that-be/) [Daniel Suarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-suarez/) > [I am formally accountable to the steering board of the PIC, and I meet with nine ambassadors from the PIC every week. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-ashdown/i-am-formally-accountable-to-the-steering-board-of-the-pic-and-i-meet/) [Paddy Ashdown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-ashdown/) > [When you're in a relationship, please believe that you are held accountable for every feeling felt, word spoken, and heart broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghib-clitso/when-you-re-in-a-relationship-please-believe-that-you-are-held/) [Raghib Clitso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghib-clitso/) > [We will make government more accountable. We will cut fraud, waste and abuse in our budget. But we will not do it by leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-james/we-will-make-government-more-accountable-we-will-cut-fraud-waste-and/) [John E. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-james/) > [It means a lot. It means I'm accountable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/champ-bailey/it-means-a-lot-it-means-i-m-accountable/) [Champ Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/champ-bailey/) > [If you can't hold yourself accountable and get your job done then you're not going to be successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-amendola/if-you-can-t-hold-yourself-accountable-and-get-your-job-done-then-you/) [Danny Amendola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-amendola/) > [There are multi-scatterings of various and associated issues and concerns, but it all boils down to accountable people versus those unwilling to be accountable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/there-are-multi-scatterings-of-various-and-associated-issues-and/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) > [If you're going to give people authority and hold them responsible and ultimately accountable for their performance, you've got to get out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-lerner/if-you-re-going-to-give-people-authority-and-hold-them-responsible/) [Randy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-lerner/) > [We all have to hold each other accountable and point that behavior out to each other in a kind way. I guess what I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-elizabeth-ellis/we-all-have-to-hold-each-other-accountable-and-point-that-behavior/) [Mary Elizabeth Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-elizabeth-ellis/) > [“The mistakes you make now count. Not for everything, and not forever. But they do matter, and they shape you...make your choices well. Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/the-mistakes-you-make-now-count-not-for-everything-and-not-forever/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [In the church we have to deliberately let ourselves be transparent and accountable to others. We're a family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/in-the-church-we-have-to-deliberately-let-ourselves-be-transparent/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [I feel like I'm held more accountable to stay healthy now because now I'm a role model to young girls to not have eating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/i-feel-like-i-m-held-more-accountable-to-stay-healthy-now-because-now/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) [Browse all 351 Accountable quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accountable/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“What history can do is show that people have to take responsibility for what they activate out of their tradition. It’s not just a given thing one slavishly follows. You have to be accountable.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Karen L. 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