---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Contrary to what the politicians and…"
description: "\"Contrary to what the politicians and religious leaders would like us to believe, the world won't be made safer by creating barriers between people.\" — ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff8/michael-palin-7172_barriers_contrary-to-what-the-politicians-and-rel_2920804.jpg"
---

#  Contrary to what the politicians and religious leaders…

![“Contrary to what the politicians and religious leaders would like us to believe, the world won't be made safer by creating barriers between people.” quote by Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff8/michael-palin-7172_barriers_contrary-to-what-the-politicians-and-rel_2920804.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff8/michael-palin-7172_barriers_contrary-to-what-the-politicians-and-rel_2920804.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff8/michael-palin-7172_barriers_contrary-to-what-the-politicians-and-rel_2920804.jpg)

> “Contrary to what the politicians and religious leaders would like us to believe, the world won't be made safer by creating barriers between people.”

[Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Barriers between people create false security; true safety comes from openness and connection.

**In simple terms:** Divisions don’t protect us.

Key Takeaway

Foster inclusion.

Themes

politics religion social cohesion security humanity

Mood

thoughtful balanced

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- community building
- policy development
- conflict resolution
- education reform
- personal relationships

Key Concepts

sociology political science ethics

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we balance safety and openness?
- What examples show barriers working positively?

A Different Perspective

Barriers sometimes protect vulnerable groups; removal can cause harm.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Barriers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barriers/) [Creating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creating/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Religious leaders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious-leaders/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/)

## Related quotes

> [It is a real tragedy for a nation when three groups of it's people, namely politicians, religious leaders and charity workes, just pretend to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khem-veasna/it-is-a-real-tragedy-for-a-nation-when-three-groups-of-it-s-people/)

[Khem Veasna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khem-veasna/)

> [“Despite their frequent cries to the contrary, politicians have rarely demonstrated an ability to walk and chew gum at the same time. If they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-thomas-malone/despite-their-frequent-cries-to-the-contrary-politicians-have-rarely/)

[Ian Thomas Malone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-thomas-malone/)

> [Every time a journalist will say: "Can women be funny? Can women be pilots? Can women be scientists?" It's less of a question and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-ryan/every-time-a-journalist-will-say-can-women-be-funny-can-women-be/)

[Katherine Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-ryan/)

> [Being your best is not so much about overcoming the barriers other people place in front of you as it is about overcoming the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kieren-perkins/being-your-best-is-not-so-much-about-overcoming-the-barriers-other/)

Kieren Perkins

> [Being your best is not so much about overcoming the barriers other people place in front of you as it is about overcoming the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kieren-perkins/being-your-best-is-not-so-much-about-overcoming-the-barriers-other-2/)

Kieren Perkins

> [The violence in the world comes about because we human beings are forever creating barriers between men who are like us and men who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-leach/the-violence-in-the-world-comes-about-because-we-human-beings-are/)

[Edmund Leach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-leach/)

> [Processes of avoiding the world within in order to try to regulate your behavior, or becoming entangled in your thoughts interfering with your ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-c-hayes/processes-of-avoiding-the-world-within-in-order-to-try-to-regulate/)

[Steven C. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-c-hayes/)

> [I know that we shall meet problems along the way, but I'd far rather see for myself what's going on in the world outside,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/i-know-that-we-shall-meet-problems-along-the-way-but-i-d-far-rather/)

[Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/)

> [The Internet helps break down so many barriers. People start to see what's happening around the world, they feel more of a oneness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aloe-blacc/the-internet-helps-break-down-so-many-barriers-people-start-to-see/)

[Aloe Blacc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aloe-blacc/)

> [What are these barriers that keep people from reaching anywhere near their real potential? The answer to that can be found in another question…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-mackey/what-are-these-barriers-that-keep-people-from-reaching-anywhere-near/)

[Louis Mackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-mackey/)

> [While I don't face the same barriers as so many people in our country, I have seen love that transcends borders, race, and country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cary-kennedy/while-i-don-t-face-the-same-barriers-as-so-many-people-in-our-country/)

[Cary Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cary-kennedy/)

> [Our decisions about transportation determine much more than where roads or bridges or tunnels or rail lines will be built. They determine the connections…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elijah-cummings/our-decisions-about-transportation-determine-much-more-than-where/)

[Elijah Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elijah-cummings/)

> [“Only the exceptional blend of love, humility, hospitality, and persistence can overcome these barriers, and not enough people make the effort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nabeel-qureshi/only-the-exceptional-blend-of-love-humility-hospitality-and/)

[Nabeel Qureshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nabeel-qureshi/)

> [“There are simply too many barriers for Muslim immigrants to understand Christians and the West by sheer circumstance. Only the exceptional blend of love,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nabeel-qureshi/there-are-simply-too-many-barriers-for-muslim-immigrants-to/)

[Nabeel Qureshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nabeel-qureshi/)

> [When you're a creative person and you create art with other people, whether you're married to them or not, you're going to run into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-francis/when-you-re-a-creative-person-and-you-create-art-with-other-people/)

[Black Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-francis/)

## More by Michael Palin

> [People are still crazy about Python after twenty-five years, which I find hard to believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/people-are-still-crazy-about-python-after-twenty-five-years-which-i/)

[Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/)

> [The need to eat, sleep and dry out plays havoc with your sense of wonder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/the-need-to-eat-sleep-and-dry-out-plays-havoc-with-your-sense-of/)

[Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/)

> [Armageddon is not around the corner. This is only what the people of violence want us to believe. The complexity and diversity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/armageddon-is-not-around-the-corner-this-is-only-what-the-people-of/)

[Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/)

> [I'd got over playing a character. People accepted who I was, and if I was incompetent and useless, they felt quite endeared to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/i-d-got-over-playing-a-character-people-accepted-who-i-was-and-if-i/)

[Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/)

> [The kids growing up is a separate strand to your life. However bad a day you've had, that's the most important thing, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/the-kids-growing-up-is-a-separate-strand-to-your-life-however-bad-a/)

[Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/)

> [Travelling, and being paid for it, is just great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/travelling-and-being-paid-for-it-is-just-great/)

[Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/)

> [I am certainly more interested in interviewing than being interviewed. Sometimes you find yourself attacked from the start.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/i-am-certainly-more-interested-in-interviewing-than-being-interviewed/)

[Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/)

> [I do have high standards. I look at everything I have done and think, 'Why wasn't that better?' Part of my motivation is from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/i-do-have-high-standards-i-look-at-everything-i-have-done-and-think/)

[Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/)

> [Geography prepares for the world of work - geographers, with their skills of analysis are highly employable!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/geography-prepares-for-the-world-of-work-geographers-with-their/)

[Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/)

> [My parents have been married forty-two years. I wonder how many of those were happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/my-parents-have-been-married-forty-two-years-i-wonder-how-many-of/)

[Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/)

> [Hollywood was possible for a while! Why didn't I go along with it? Well, the other things that were pulling me back were more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/hollywood-was-possible-for-a-while-why-didn-t-i-go-along-with-it-well/)

[Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/)

> [I've been lucky enough to stand on both poles, but the place that seemed the remotest to me was Butugychag, a former gulag in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/i-ve-been-lucky-enough-to-stand-on-both-poles-but-the-place-that/)

[Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/)

> [When I'm travelling, I always take my little notebook and scribble things down as I watch them; I'm very much geared to everything that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/when-i-m-travelling-i-always-take-my-little-notebook-and-scribble/)

[Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/)

> [People say the most stupid things on the spur of the moment that they then have to retract.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/people-say-the-most-stupid-things-on-the-spur-of-the-moment-that-they/)

[Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/)

> [Geography is the subject which holds the key to our future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/geography-is-the-subject-which-holds-the-key-to-our-future/)

[Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/)

[Explore all 94 Michael Palin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/)

## More Barriers quotes

> [Your aunt and uncle will be proud, though, won't they?" said Hermione as they got off the train and joined the crowd thronging toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-aunt-and-uncle-will-be-proud-though-won-t-they-said-hermione-as/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The gear you can't afford is not the barrier keeping you from success. Gear has very little to do with photography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chase-jarvis/the-gear-you-can-t-afford-is-not-the-barrier-keeping-you-from-success/)

[Chase Jarvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chase-jarvis/)

> [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/)

> [The "health, education, and welfare" section of government is another boondoggle. First we manufacture indigent and superfluous people by legal monopolies in land, money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurance-labadie/the-health-education-and-welfare-section-of-government-is-another/)

[Laurance Labadie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurance-labadie/)

> [Security is a component of everyday life that one spending time in Washington, D.C., gets accustomed to. Metal detectors, police vehicle barriers and heavily-armed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-crapo/security-is-a-component-of-everyday-life-that-one-spending-time-in/)

[Mike Crapo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-crapo/)

> [The biggest obstacles to our progress exist within our own lives in the form of cowardice and the tendency to give up. Breaking through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senora-roy/the-biggest-obstacles-to-our-progress-exist-within-our-own-lives-in/)

[Senora Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senora-roy/)

> [I feel that there are a few things in the world without cultural barriers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/i-feel-that-there-are-a-few-things-in-the-world-without-cultural/)

[Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/)

> [English literature is a glorious inheritance which is open to all - there are no barriers, no coupons, and no restrictions. In the English…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/english-literature-is-a-glorious-inheritance-which-is-open-to-all/)

[Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/)

> [Friendship embraces innumerable ends; turn where you will it is ever at your side; no barrier shuts it out; it is never untimely and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/friendship-embraces-innumerable-ends-turn-where-you-will-it-is-ever/)

[Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/)

> [I've cosponsored legislation to establish a lend-lease program to simplify bureaucratic barriers and allow a speedier transfer of U.S. military equipment to Ukraine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/i-ve-cosponsored-legislation-to-establish-a-lend-lease-program-to/)

[Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/)

> [Don't be afraid of what you want. This is your time. The barriers are down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/don-t-be-afraid-of-what-you-want-this-is-your-time-the-barriers-are/)

[Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/)

> [Fear is the single biggest barrier to creativity. Unless we're brave enough to risk looking foolish, we'll inevitably find ourselves sticking to the status…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-linkner/fear-is-the-single-biggest-barrier-to-creativity-unless-we-re-brave/)

[Josh Linkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-linkner/)

> [He looked at my lips. I suddenly found myself wanting to lick his. 'Yes,' he replied, his eyes going molten. My breath caught in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-macalister/he-looked-at-my-lips-i-suddenly-found-myself-wanting-to-lick-his-yes/)

[Katie MacAlister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-macalister/)

> [What do you have to surrender? A drop has to dissolve into the ocean to become the ocean. And a drop cannot be greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/what-do-you-have-to-surrender-a-drop-has-to-dissolve-into-the-ocean/)

[Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/)

> [“One way to generate a precise customer value proposition is to think about the four most common barriers keeping people from getting particular jobs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-w-johnson/one-way-to-generate-a-precise-customer-value-proposition-is-to-think/)

[Mark W. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-w-johnson/)

[Browse all 1,191 Barriers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barriers/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Contrary to what the politicians and religious leaders would like us to believe, the world won't be made safer by creating barriers between people.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Michael Palin"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/contrary-to-what-the-politicians-and-religious-leaders-would-like-us/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Barriers"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/contrary-to-what-the-politicians-and-religious-leaders-would-like-us/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff8/michael-palin-7172_barriers_contrary-to-what-the-politicians-and-rel_2920804.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff8/michael-palin-7172_barriers_contrary-to-what-the-politicians-and-rel_2920804.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff8/michael-palin-7172_barriers_contrary-to-what-the-politicians-and-rel_2920804.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Contrary to what the politicians and religious leaders would like us to believe, the world won't be made…” — Michael Palin",
                "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": "Michael Palin",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Contrary to what the politicians and...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/contrary-to-what-the-politicians-and-religious-leaders-would-like-us/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/contrary-to-what-the-politicians-and-religious-leaders-would-like-us/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
