--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Thoughtful white people know they are…" description: "\"Thoughtful white people know they are inferior to black people.\" — Malcolm X" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b97/malcolm-x-213_black_thoughtful-white-people-know-they-are-in_2018652.jpg" --- # Thoughtful white people know they are inferior to black… ![“Thoughtful white people know they are inferior to black people.” quote by Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b97/malcolm-x-213_black_thoughtful-white-people-know-they-are-in_2018652.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b97/malcolm-x-213_black_thoughtful-white-people-know-they-are-in_2018652.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b97/malcolm-x-213_black_thoughtful-white-people-know-they-are-in_2018652.jpg) > “Thoughtful white people know they are inferior to black people.” [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker asserts that white people should recognize their lower moral standing compared to black people. **In simple terms:** White people are seen as morally inferior to black people. Key Takeaway Recognize and address systemic inequality. Themes race morality inequality Mood reflective serious Type political social When to use this quote - civil rights activism - educational curricula - community dialogues - policy reform Key Concepts social hierarchy privilege historical context Questions to Reflect On - How can we foster mutual respect while acknowledging historical injustices? - What actions can reduce inequality without assigning inherent moral worth? A Different Perspective The claim oversimplifies complex social dynamics and can alienate allies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Black people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-people/) [Inferior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inferior/) [Inferiors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inferiors/) [Know Inferior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-inferior-2082231/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Thoughtful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughtful/) [Thoughtful White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughtful-white-3644931/) [White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white/) [White people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-people/) ## Related quotes > [For know that all the inferior Creatures when hurt do cry and send forth the complaints to their Maker or grand Fountain whence they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-tryon/for-know-that-all-the-inferior-creatures-when-hurt-do-cry-and-send/) [Tom Tryon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-tryon/) > [Nobody on the face of the earth can make you feel inferior without your permission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/nobody-on-the-face-of-the-earth-can-make-you-feel-inferior-without/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [Not everything that steps out of line, and thus "abnormal", must necessarily be "inferior".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-asperger/not-everything-that-steps-out-of-line-and-thus-abnormal-must/) [Hans Asperger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-asperger/) > [Everything without God is pathetically inferior to God without everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-storms/everything-without-god-is-pathetically-inferior-to-god-without/) [Sam Storms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-storms/) > [The inferior man attempts a hundred intrigues in order to save himself, but finishes only in creating a greater calamity from which he cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wang-yangming/the-inferior-man-attempts-a-hundred-intrigues-in-order-to-save/) [Wang Yangming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wang-yangming/) > [It is easy to be humble when a greater is preferred; but when an inferior is lifted high above our heads, how can we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-fenimore-woolson/it-is-easy-to-be-humble-when-a-greater-is-preferred-but-when-an/) [Constance Fenimore Woolson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-fenimore-woolson/) > [It is said that the inferior seek to emulate the superior. Thus, if a general slackens only a little, those beneath him will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kato-kiyomasa/it-is-said-that-the-inferior-seek-to-emulate-the-superior-thus-if-a/) [Kato Kiyomasa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kato-kiyomasa/) > [Everything except God has some natural superior; everything except unformed matter has some natural inferior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/everything-except-god-has-some-natural-superior-everything-except/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [To strive with an equal is dangerous; with a superior, mad; with an inferior, degrading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/to-strive-with-an-equal-is-dangerous-with-a-superior-mad-with-an/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Duncan Edwards is the one person who, even today, I really felt inferior to. I've never know anybody so gifted and strong and powerful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-charlton/duncan-edwards-is-the-one-person-who-even-today-i-really-felt/) [Bobby Charlton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-charlton/) > [It would be hard to name a more certain sign of poor self-esteem than the need to perceive some other group as inferior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/it-would-be-hard-to-name-a-more-certain-sign-of-poor-self-esteem-than/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) > [Inferior thinking and writing will make a name for a man among inferior people, who in all ages and countries, are the majority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lancaster-spalding/inferior-thinking-and-writing-will-make-a-name-for-a-man-among/) [John Lancaster Spalding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lancaster-spalding/) > [anything being perceived as being superior takes the noun. And everything that isn't, that's judged to be inferior, requires an adjective. So there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/anything-being-perceived-as-being-superior-takes-the-noun-and/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [Ahimsa can be practiced only towards those that are inferior to you in every way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/ahimsa-can-be-practiced-only-towards-those-that-are-inferior-to-you/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Snobs are people who look down on other people, but that does not justify our looking down on them. Who can say what dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/snobs-are-people-who-look-down-on-other-people-but-that-does-not/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) ## More by Malcolm X > [If Christianity had asserted itself in Germany, six million Jews would have lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/if-christianity-had-asserted-itself-in-germany-six-million-jews-would/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Adam Clayton Powell's entire political career has to be looked at in the entire context of the American history and the history of, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/adam-clayton-powell-s-entire-political-career-has-to-be-looked-at-in/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [American civil rights leader, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Lynching is a murder. For the past four hundred years our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/american-civil-rights-leader-where-do-we-go-from-here-chaos-or/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Be nonviolent only with those who are nonviolent to you. And when you can bring me a nonviolent racist, bring me a nonviolent segregationist,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/be-nonviolent-only-with-those-who-are-nonviolent-to-you-and-when-you/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [You can't legislate good will - that comes through education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/you-can-t-legislate-good-will-that-comes-through-education/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Truth is on the side of the oppressed today, it's against the oppressor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/truth-is-on-the-side-of-the-oppressed-today-it-s-against-the-oppressor/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Those type of whites who are always going to jail with Negroes are the ones who tell Negroes to be loving and be kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/those-type-of-whites-who-are-always-going-to-jail-with-negroes-are/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [We Muslims believe that the white race, which is guilty of having oppressed and exploited and enslaved our people here in America, should and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/we-muslims-believe-that-the-white-race-which-is-guilty-of-having/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I mean a real police state just to get a token recognition of a law. It take, it took, I think, 15,000 troops and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/i-mean-a-real-police-state-just-to-get-a-token-recognition-of-a-law/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Like Samson, I am ready to pull down the white man's temple, knowing full well that I will be destroyed by the falling rubble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/like-samson-i-am-ready-to-pull-down-the-white-man-s-temple-knowing/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Any negro who occupies a position that was given to him by the white man, if you analyze his function, his function never enables…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/any-negro-who-occupies-a-position-that-was-given-to-him-by-the-white/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Stumbling is not falling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/stumbling-is-not-falling/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [God is going to punish the white man for his misdeeds toward black people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/god-is-going-to-punish-the-white-man-for-his-misdeeds-toward-black/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Much of what I say might sound like it's stirring up trouble, but it's the truth!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/much-of-what-i-say-might-sound-like-it-s-stirring-up-trouble-but-it-s/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I believe in the brotherhood of all men, but I don't believe in wasting brotherhood on anyone who doesn't want to practice it with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/i-believe-in-the-brotherhood-of-all-men-but-i-don-t-believe-in/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) [Explore all 891 Malcolm X quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) ## More Black quotes > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [How can you be more subject; black woman in a white man's world?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/how-can-you-be-more-subject-black-woman-in-a-white-man-s-world/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [We have to build our own power. We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) [Frank B. Wilderson III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-b-wilderson-iii/) > [I know how hard it is to be a woman, especially a black woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-know-how-hard-it-is-to-be-a-woman-especially-a-black-woman/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [If soot stains your tunic, dye it black. This is vengeance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-bakker/if-soot-stains-your-tunic-dye-it-black-this-is-vengeance/) [R. Scott Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-bakker/) > [Hollywood is so fixated on keeping it that way because it's generating the buzz, but that representation isn't right. I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. That's how they tried to cut off all my brothers in the rest of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-ain-t-no-such-thing-as-black-muslims-that-s-how-they-tried-to/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) [Browse all 11,655 Black quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Thoughtful white people know they are inferior to black people.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Malcolm X" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/thoughtful-white-people-know-they-are-inferior-to-black-people/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Black" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/thoughtful-white-people-know-they-are-inferior-to-black-people/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b97/malcolm-x-213_black_thoughtful-white-people-know-they-are-in_2018652.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b97/malcolm-x-213_black_thoughtful-white-people-know-they-are-in_2018652.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b97/malcolm-x-213_black_thoughtful-white-people-know-they-are-in_2018652.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Thoughtful white people know they are inferior to black people.” — Malcolm X", "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": "Malcolm X", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Thoughtful white people know they are...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/thoughtful-white-people-know-they-are-inferior-to-black-people/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/thoughtful-white-people-know-they-are-inferior-to-black-people/#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 } } ] } ```