--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Growing up, I decided, a long time ago, I…" description: "\"Growing up, I decided, a long time ago, I wouldn't accept any manmade differences between human beings, differences made at somebody else's insistence ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03e/maya-angelou-104_accept_growing-up-i-decided-a-long-time-ago-i-w_2608412.png" --- # Growing up, I decided, a long time ago, I wouldn't accept… ![“Growing up, I decided, a long time ago, I wouldn't accept any manmade differences between human beings, differences made at somebody else's insistence or someone else's whim or convenience.” quote by Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03e/maya-angelou-104_accept_growing-up-i-decided-a-long-time-ago-i-w_2608412.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03e/maya-angelou-104_accept_growing-up-i-decided-a-long-time-ago-i-w_2608412.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03e/maya-angelou-104_accept_growing-up-i-decided-a-long-time-ago-i-w_2608412.png) > “Growing up, I decided, a long time ago, I wouldn't accept any manmade differences between human beings, differences made at somebody else's insistence or someone else's whim or convenience.” [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Rejecting artificial social hierarchies imposed by others. **In simple terms:** Do not accept unfair differences. Key Takeaway Stand against imposed inequality. Themes equality justice human dignity Mood determined hopeful Type ethical inspirational When to use this quote - workplace policies - education - community activism - personal relationships Key Concepts social constructs bias systemic oppression Questions to Reflect On - How do you challenge societal expectations? - What biases have you noticed in yourself? A Different Perspective Changing deep‑rooted biases is difficult and may meet resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accept/) [Accept Manmade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accept-manmade-2006933/) [Accepting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepting/) [Beings Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beings-differences-2006931/) [Convenience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convenience/) [Decided](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decided/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Differences Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences-human-1456409/) [Differences Somebody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences-somebody-2006932/) [Growing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Insistence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insistence/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [Long time ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time-ago/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Manmade Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manmade-differences-2006930/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Whim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whim/) ## Related quotes > [“I believe that there are no innate, intrinsic differences among a human being , a baboon or a grain of sand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr-2/i-believe-that-there-are-no-innate-intrinsic-differences-among-a/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr-2/) > [“We have held the peculiar notion that a person or society that is a little different from us, whoever we are, is somehow strange…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/we-have-held-the-peculiar-notion-that-a-person-or-society-that-is-a/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“It's not that there are no differences between human and non-human animals, any more than there are no differences between black people and white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-pearce/it-s-not-that-there-are-no-differences-between-human-and-non-human/) [David Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-pearce/) > [Such are the differences among human beings in their sources of pleasure, their susceptibilities of pain, and the operation on them of different physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/such-are-the-differences-among-human-beings-in-their-sources-of/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Let the revolting distinction of rich and poor disappear once and for all, the distinction of great and small, of masters and valets, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-noel-babeuf/let-the-revolting-distinction-of-rich-and-poor-disappear-once-and-for/) [Francois-Noel Babeuf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-noel-babeuf/) > [“Herder put forward the idea that each of us has an original way of being human. 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As we go through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selwyn-hughes/the-law-of-giving-and-receiving-is-fundamental-and-relates-just-as/) [Selwyn Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selwyn-hughes/) > [To the extent that we've got a fiscal crisis right now, part of it is prompted by a bullheaded insistence on the part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/to-the-extent-that-we-ve-got-a-fiscal-crisis-right-now-part-of-it-is/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“Impossible Is Just Impossible".”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/behnam-rajabpoor/impossible-is-just-impossible/) [Behnam Rajabpoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/behnam-rajabpoor/) ## More by Maya Angelou > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [“You are very kind and very intelligent and those elements are not always found together. Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-are-very-kind-and-very-intelligent-and-those-elements-are-not/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I agreed a long time ago, I would not live at any cost. If I am moved or forced away from what I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-agreed-a-long-time-ago-i-would-not-live-at-any-cost-if-i-am-moved/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [You want me to do something... tell me I can't do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-want-me-to-do-something-tell-me-i-can-t-do-it/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Intelligence is a separate gift, for the benefit of students, so that they may think of themselves as intellectual and not very intelligent, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/intelligence-is-a-separate-gift-for-the-benefit-of-students-so-that/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Life is going to give you just what you put in it. Put your whole heart in everything you do, and pray, then you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/life-is-going-to-give-you-just-what-you-put-in-it-put-your-whole/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [“You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies, You may tread me in the very dirt But still, like dust,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-may-write-me-down-in-history-with-your-bitter-twisted-lies-you/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [The more you know of your history, the more liberated you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/the-more-you-know-of-your-history-the-more-liberated-you-are/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Life offers us tickets to places which we have not knowingly asked for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/life-offers-us-tickets-to-places-which-we-have-not-knowingly-asked-for/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Every person needs to take one day away. A day in which one consciously separates the past from the future. Jobs, family, employers, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/every-person-needs-to-take-one-day-away-a-day-in-which-one/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I'm working at trying to be a Christian, and that's serious business. It's like trying to be a good Jew, a good Muslim, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-m-working-at-trying-to-be-a-christian-and-that-s-serious-business/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Nathaniel Hawthorne once said that easy reading is damn hard writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/nathaniel-hawthorne-once-said-that-easy-reading-is-damn-hard-writing/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Sunday, if I'm lucky, I'll go to church or listen to some good spiritual advice on the television or on the radio. I take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/sunday-if-i-m-lucky-i-ll-go-to-church-or-listen-to-some-good/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) [Explore all 1,313 Maya Angelou quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) ## More Accept quotes > [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [The shelves of many evangelicals are full of books that point out the flaws in evolution, discuss it only as a theory, and almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/the-shelves-of-many-evangelicals-are-full-of-books-that-point-out-the/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [The fans can accept a poor performance, but they won't take it when you choose not to put in the effort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pep-guardiola/the-fans-can-accept-a-poor-performance-but-they-won-t-take-it-when/) [Pep Guardiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pep-guardiola/) > [“See, I know what they think about me. That I’m some project. And, yeah, I’ll accept their help. But I’m gonna pay my way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsty-eagar/see-i-know-what-they-think-about-me-that-i-m-some-project-and-yeah-i/) [Kirsty Eagar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsty-eagar/) > [If you're disabled or different from what general society deems normal, it's fine. There will always be people who won't accept you, but there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-simmonds/if-you-re-disabled-or-different-from-what-general-society-deems/) [Millicent Simmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-simmonds/) > [Things don't go on forever, and the quicker you accept that change is inevitable, the happier you're gonna be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trey-anastasio/things-don-t-go-on-forever-and-the-quicker-you-accept-that-change-is/) [Trey Anastasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trey-anastasio/) > [It's very important to me that people accept me as a transgendered female. But it's ridiculous to a lot of people and I understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-arquette/it-s-very-important-to-me-that-people-accept-me-as-a-transgendered/) [Alexis Arquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-arquette/) > [I've always taken care of myself, and I'm a non-conformist, so I don't accept the negativity that comes with birthdays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-van-dam/i-ve-always-taken-care-of-myself-and-i-m-a-non-conformist-so-i-don-t/) [Rob Van Dam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-van-dam/) > [Not harder than it should be, no. We're about the business, we're about the work. It's all about the work, always. We have fun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-fuqua/not-harder-than-it-should-be-no-we-re-about-the-business-we-re-about/) [Antoine Fuqua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-fuqua/) > [I wish I could just accept that I'm not that good and not be shy about the fact that I'm not that professional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-gainsbourg/i-wish-i-could-just-accept-that-i-m-not-that-good-and-not-be-shy/) [Charlotte Gainsbourg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-gainsbourg/) > [I cannot accept being silent in the face of injustice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine-crockett/i-cannot-accept-being-silent-in-the-face-of-injustice/) [Jasmine Crockett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine-crockett/) > [“I hope there is less stigma and judgment against working moms and childless career women. All should be acceptable positions and society should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chan-heng-chee/i-hope-there-is-less-stigma-and-judgment-against-working-moms-and/) [Chan Heng Chee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chan-heng-chee/) > [“Of course I can accept you for who you are. You are someone I need to change.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-glasbergen/of-course-i-can-accept-you-for-who-you-are-you-are-someone-i-need-to/) [Randy Glasbergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-glasbergen/) > [I can't be that kind of person others want me to be.I know I can't please everybody for just being me But I'm glad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nix/i-can-t-be-that-kind-of-person-others-want-me-to-be-i-know-i-can-t/) [Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nix/) > [I don't care who you are,Where you from,As long as you love me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mks-vibz/i-don-t-care-who-you-are-where-you-from-as-long-as-you-love-me/) [Mks Vibz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mks-vibz/) [Browse all 2,963 Accept quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accept/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Growing up, I decided, a long time ago, I wouldn't accept any manmade differences between human beings, differences made at somebody else's insistence or someone else's whim or convenience.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Maya Angelou" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/growing-up-i-decided-a-long-time-ago-i-wouldn-t-accept-any-manmade/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accept" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/growing-up-i-decided-a-long-time-ago-i-wouldn-t-accept-any-manmade/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03e/maya-angelou-104_accept_growing-up-i-decided-a-long-time-ago-i-w_2608412.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03e/maya-angelou-104_accept_growing-up-i-decided-a-long-time-ago-i-w_2608412.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03e/maya-angelou-104_accept_growing-up-i-decided-a-long-time-ago-i-w_2608412.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Growing up, I decided, a long time ago, I wouldn't accept any manmade differences between human beings…” — Maya Angelou", "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": "Maya Angelou", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Growing up, I decided, a long...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/growing-up-i-decided-a-long-time-ago-i-wouldn-t-accept-any-manmade/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/growing-up-i-decided-a-long-time-ago-i-wouldn-t-accept-any-manmade/#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 } } ] } ```