--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The values that I have are the values I…" description: "\"The values that I have are the values I was raised with, from where I'm from, which is a middle-class place. So that informs everything about me, my po..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da7/matt-damon-3371_about_the-values-that-i-have-are-the-values-i_3002736.jpg" --- # The values that I have are the values I was raised with… ![“The values that I have are the values I was raised with, from where I'm from, which is a middle-class place. So that informs everything about me, my politics and all that stuff. I mean, politically, I vote against my own self-interest at every election. I actively ask these people to raise my taxes.” quote by Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da7/matt-damon-3371_about_the-values-that-i-have-are-the-values-i_3002736.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da7/matt-damon-3371_about_the-values-that-i-have-are-the-values-i_3002736.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da7/matt-damon-3371_about_the-values-that-i-have-are-the-values-i_3002736.jpg) > “The values that I have are the values I was raised with, from where I'm from, which is a middle-class place. So that informs everything about me, my politics and all that stuff. I mean, politically, I vote against my own self-interest at every election. I actively ask these people to raise my taxes.” [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. His upbringing shapes his values, leading him to vote against self‑interest and support higher taxes. **In simple terms:** His background drives him to prioritize community over personal gain. Key Takeaway Let upbringing guide ethical choices. Themes politics class identity self‑interest tax policy Mood reflective principled inspirational Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - elections - public debates - community meetings Key Concepts sociology political philosophy personal ethics Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile personal sacrifice with civic duty? - What motivates you to support higher taxes? A Different Perspective Voting against self‑interest may feel contradictory. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Actively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actively/) [Against](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/against/) [Ask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ask/) [Asks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asks/) [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election/) [Every](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every/) [Everything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everything/) [I was raised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-was-raised/) [Informs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/informs/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Middle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle/) [Middle class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-class/) [My own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-own/) [Own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/own/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/place/) [Politically](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politically/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Raise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raise/) [Raise Taxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raise-taxes/) [Raised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raised/) [Raises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raises/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-interest/) [Stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff/) [Taxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taxes/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) [Values Raised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values-raised-4774518/) [Values Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values-values-427634/) [Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote/) [Vote Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote-self-1821342/) [Where](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/where/) [Which](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/which/) ## Related quotes > [Everybody likes to get as much power as circumstances allow, and nobody will vote for a self-denying ordinance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everybody-likes-to-get-as-much-power-as-circumstances-allow-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“People do not necessarily vote in their self-interest. They vote their identity. They vote their values. They vote for who they identify with.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lakoff/people-do-not-necessarily-vote-in-their-self-interest-they-vote-their/) [George Lakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lakoff/) > [The irony is, of course, that many of the values that I was raised with, that I think are very important, that I hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-coogan/the-irony-is-of-course-that-many-of-the-values-that-i-was-raised-with/) [Steve Coogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-coogan/) > [The psychological peer pressure that the left has employed - and deployed, actually - on young people has been overwhelmingly successful. It has created…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-psychological-peer-pressure-that-the-left-has-employed-and/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Look at the way you live. You've sold out. Next thing I know you'll become a Republican." She shook her head. "Where are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/look-at-the-way-you-live-you-ve-sold-out-next-thing-i-know-you-ll/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [Ryan and I didn't grow up like this at all, with this much attention. We'll just try to keep their feet on the ground…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reese-witherspoon/ryan-and-i-didn-t-grow-up-like-this-at-all-with-this-much-attention/) [Reese Witherspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reese-witherspoon/) > [I love it when the left and when the president say, 'Don't try to impose your values on us, you folks who hold your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/i-love-it-when-the-left-and-when-the-president-say-don-t-try-to/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [“Maslow's five values are the values for which people live when they have nothing to live for. Nothing has seized them, nothing has caught…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/maslow-s-five-values-are-the-values-for-which-people-live-when-they/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [Your habits become your values, your values become your destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-tomasello/your-habits-become-your-values-your-values-become-your-destiny/) [Mario Tomasello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-tomasello/) > [Everyone has values, and values their family, values their health, their sanity, their safety and security, and their families, their parents, their children, their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/surya-das/everyone-has-values-and-values-their-family-values-their-health-their/) [Surya Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/surya-das/) > [For America, our interests are our values, and our values are our interests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/for-america-our-interests-are-our-values-and-our-values-are-our/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [My values, our values, aren't about pointing fingers. They are about offering a helping hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-blanco/my-values-our-values-aren-t-about-pointing-fingers-they-are-about/) [Kathleen Blanco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-blanco/) > [It's impossible to make a picture without values. Values are the basis. If they are not, tell me what is the basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-morris-hunt/it-s-impossible-to-make-a-picture-without-values-values-are-the-basis/) [William Morris Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-morris-hunt/) > [People compose the schedules they do out of the priorities they have; and someone who says otherwise is deceiving himself about what he really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/people-compose-the-schedules-they-do-out-of-the-priorities-they-have/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) > [Perhaps the most significant thing a person can know about himself is to understand his own system of values. Almost every thing we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/perhaps-the-most-significant-thing-a-person-can-know-about-himself-is/) [Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/) ## More by Matt Damon > [I'm actively trying to get away from the over-exposure that happened eight years ago. The only thing a celebrity can do in one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/i-m-actively-trying-to-get-away-from-the-over-exposure-that-happened/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [ \[Americans\] can't understand that the water in our toilet is cleaner than 880 million have access to. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/americans-can-t-understand-that-the-water-in-our-toilet-is-cleaner/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [As for poker, I've stayed away from that, even though when I was in Vegas for Ocean's Eleven, I would get accosted by these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/as-for-poker-i-ve-stayed-away-from-that-even-though-when-i-was-in/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [Now that I have kids, I'm probably more overprotective than I've ever been. My wife's nickname for me is 'red alert.' I sometimes check…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/now-that-i-have-kids-i-m-probably-more-overprotective-than-i-ve-ever/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [I didn't grow up with great privilege, nor did I grow up wanting for anything. I was a middle-class kid and, relative to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/i-didn-t-grow-up-with-great-privilege-nor-did-i-grow-up-wanting-for/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [I think it's something that the citizenry needs to be vigilant about - participating in democracy, and that includes issues like what's going on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/i-think-it-s-something-that-the-citizenry-needs-to-be-vigilant-about/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [We're here for such a short time. When your great-great-grandkids study history, don't you want them to be proud that you were part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/we-re-here-for-such-a-short-time-when-your-great-great-grandkids/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [If you're just an actor you're reactive. You're saying, "Well, I hope Hollywood gives me a role, or gives me a chance at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/if-you-re-just-an-actor-you-re-reactive-you-re-saying-well-i-hope/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [Clint Eastwood expects you to know what you're doing. He's going to take two giant steps back and let you do it. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/clint-eastwood-expects-you-to-know-what-you-re-doing-he-s-going-to/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [As actors, we react to the material that's out there, and I probably just react more strongly to things that I feel will have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/as-actors-we-react-to-the-material-that-s-out-there-and-i-probably/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [The only sci-fi movie that I've ever been offered that, had circumstances been different, I would have definitely done, was 'Avatar.' And I literally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/the-only-sci-fi-movie-that-i-ve-ever-been-offered-that-had/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [And you know, we were talking about American identity, and where we've come from and where we are and where we're headed. 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If you can't spot the sucker in the first half hour at the table, then you ARE the sucker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/listen-here-s-the-thing-if-you-can-t-spot-the-sucker-in-the-first/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) [Explore all 132 Matt Damon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. 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As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' 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