--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We should assume that we all have a lot…" description: "\"We should assume that we all have a lot in common. Speak as if our views are the only sensible ones. This resonates with ordinary people, as long as we..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/753/michael-yates-21574_assuming_we-should-assume-that-we-all-have-a-lot_2043434.jpg" --- # We should assume that we all have a lot in common. Speak… ![“We should assume that we all have a lot in common. Speak as if our views are the only sensible ones. This resonates with ordinary people, as long as we speak ordinary language and don't come across as elitists.” quote by Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/753/michael-yates-21574_assuming_we-should-assume-that-we-all-have-a-lot_2043434.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/753/michael-yates-21574_assuming_we-should-assume-that-we-all-have-a-lot_2043434.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/753/michael-yates-21574_assuming_we-should-assume-that-we-all-have-a-lot_2043434.jpg) > “We should assume that we all have a lot in common. Speak as if our views are the only sensible ones. This resonates with ordinary people, as long as we speak ordinary language and don't come across as elitists.” [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suggests assuming shared perspectives and using plain language to connect with ordinary people while avoiding elitist tone **In simple terms:** Speak plainly and assume common ground to resonate with the public Key Takeaway Use simple, inclusive language in public discourse Themes communication humility relatability Mood thoughtful engaging Type persuasive educational When to use this quote - Political speeches - marketing copy - community meetings Key Concepts Common ground language framing audience perception Questions to Reflect On - What risks arise from assuming universal agreement? - How can we balance simplicity with nuance? A Different Perspective Oversimplification can ignore legitimate differences in opinion ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assuming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assuming/) [Come Elitists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come-elitists-3815470/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common/) [Common Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-speak-3815468/) [Elitist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elitist/) [Elitists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elitists/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Ordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary/) [Ordinary people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary-people/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Sensible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensible/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak/) [Speak Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak-views-3815469/) [Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/views/) [Views Sensible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/views-sensible-3815471/) ## Related quotes > [I hate elitists. I hate conceited people. I hate pompous people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-cavuto/i-hate-elitists-i-hate-conceited-people-i-hate-pompous-people/) [Neil Cavuto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-cavuto/) > [I will continue to speak out against the views of both Limbaugh and Hannity when I feel it's warranted, meeting their free speech with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-colmes/i-will-continue-to-speak-out-against-the-views-of-both-limbaugh-and/) [Alan Colmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-colmes/) > [Some of the environmental lobbyists of the Western nations are the salt of the earth, but many of them are elitists. They've never experienced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-borlaug/some-of-the-environmental-lobbyists-of-the-western-nations-are-the/) [Norman Borlaug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-borlaug/) > [Fox News is hated because they're elitists, and the worst winners television's ever seen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-olbermann/fox-news-is-hated-because-they-re-elitists-and-the-worst-winners/) [Keith Olbermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-olbermann/) > [There's something retro about your persona. It's like the pre-World War II generation of reporters - those unpretentious, working-class guys who hung around saloons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/there-s-something-retro-about-your-persona-it-s-like-the-pre-world/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [There are some among the so-called elite who are overbearing and arrogant. I want to foster leaders, not elitists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisaku-ikeda/there-are-some-among-the-so-called-elite-who-are-overbearing-and/) [Daisaku Ikeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisaku-ikeda/) > [“Don't waste life inflating your ego with elitist armchair analysis like some overfed aristocratic twit, you have circuits to break.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/don-t-waste-life-inflating-your-ego-with-elitist-armchair-analysis/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [I try to not be or associate with elitists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-keaton/i-try-to-not-be-or-associate-with-elitists/) [Michael Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-keaton/) > [Country music, the music of the white rural working class, has often been mocked by elitists whose understanding of power and art was shaped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-shetterly/country-music-the-music-of-the-white-rural-working-class-has-often/) [Will Shetterly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-shetterly/) > [“The self proclaimed elitists among us have dreaded this day… the day in which all individuals have the power to publish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-john-manganiello/the-self-proclaimed-elitists-among-us-have-dreaded-this-day-the-day/) [Ryan John Manganiello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-john-manganiello/) > [Elitists rarely have the temperament to understand real people and real problems, and judges who lead with hubris are dangerous to our system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-johnson/elitists-rarely-have-the-temperament-to-understand-real-people-and/) [Mike Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-johnson/) > [ “I know where a lot of them \[the elite or elitists\] live. Where's that? Well, in our nation's capital and New York City. I've… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-know-where-a-lot-of-them-the-elite-or-elitists-live-where-s-that/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [“The true elitists in the literary world are the ones who have become annoyed by literary ambition in any form, who have converted the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-marcus/the-true-elitists-in-the-literary-world-are-the-ones-who-have-become/) [Ben Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-marcus/) > [“So, fuck ’em, we say. Fuck the mundane of Mainstream, the elitists of Literature. We’re GENRE FICTION and proud of it, proud to wear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-duncan/so-fuck-em-we-say-fuck-the-mundane-of-mainstream-the-elitists-of/) [Hal Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-duncan/) > [“Anyone who wants to be in power doesn't deserve it and anyone who deserves it doesn't want it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-marie-baumgartner/anyone-who-wants-to-be-in-power-doesn-t-deserve-it-and-anyone-who/) [Jessica Marie Baumgartner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-marie-baumgartner/) ## More by Michael Yates > [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [If you do keep the faith and continue to be radical, very bad things can and do happen to you. At the very least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/if-you-do-keep-the-faith-and-continue-to-be-radical-very-bad-things/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [Many activists don't want to hear about some grand narrative, one that could unify all of our struggles. So the major issue that needs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/many-activists-don-t-want-to-hear-about-some-grand-narrative-one-that/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [What needs to be grasped is that the system itself is the cause of all of the misery in the world. This is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/what-needs-to-be-grasped-is-that-the-system-itself-is-the-cause-of/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [I still believe that workers must be the basic force which must organize and eventually transform society (along with peasants in poor countries). This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/i-still-believe-that-workers-must-be-the-basic-force-which-must/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [We must not forget either that some of the system's resilience is due to its ability to coopt people with money and prestige. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/we-must-not-forget-either-that-some-of-the-system-s-resilience-is-due/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [Capitalism is, in Mao's language, the main contradiction in the world today and so our efforts have to be focused on ending this system…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/capitalism-is-in-mao-s-language-the-main-contradiction-in-the-world/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [I am sure that the experience of growing up in the heart of the working class and learning from my parents, and especially from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/i-am-sure-that-the-experience-of-growing-up-in-the-heart-of-the/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [We are all, after all, just human beings, and most of us have a lot in common.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/we-are-all-after-all-just-human-beings-and-most-of-us-have-a-lot-in/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [Young people are more likely to be idealistic and think that radical change is both necessary and possible. They may not yet be stuck…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/young-people-are-more-likely-to-be-idealistic-and-think-that-radical/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [National chauvinism is a very tough nut to crack, since a vast propaganda network is in place to keep the workers whipped up into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/national-chauvinism-is-a-very-tough-nut-to-crack-since-a-vast/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [The Vietnam War was so obviously evil and bore down most heavily upon working class youth that it made me think about things more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/the-vietnam-war-was-so-obviously-evil-and-bore-down-most-heavily-upon/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [You can't take the view of some of the sectarian parties that hard issues can't be confronted when dealing with workers. If you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/you-can-t-take-the-view-of-some-of-the-sectarian-parties-that-hard/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [Of course we can talk about the radical potential of youth. But in the U.S. it is still the case that most youth are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/of-course-we-can-talk-about-the-radical-potential-of-youth-but-in-the/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [The main dividing line is still race. This is the issue that must be focused upon in all working class organizations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/the-main-dividing-line-is-still-race-this-is-the-issue-that-must-be/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) [Explore all 29 Michael Yates quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) ## More Assuming quotes > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [Our young Marines of today are courageous, willing to make sacrifices, and are marvelous team players. I am confident our Corps, and indeed our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-conway/our-young-marines-of-today-are-courageous-willing-to-make-sacrifices/) [James T. Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-conway/) > [Everyone assumes writers spend their time lounging around, writing and occasionally striking a pose whilst having a think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/everyone-assumes-writers-spend-their-time-lounging-around-writing-and/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Assuming normal winter weather, we currently anticipate the coal markets to remain difficult through 2015; while we always strive to operate a full capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/assuming-normal-winter-weather-we-currently-anticipate-the-coal/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) > [A state of mind is something that one assumes. It cannot be purchased, it must be created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/a-state-of-mind-is-something-that-one-assumes-it-cannot-be-purchased/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [One must believe that every living thing whatsoever must change insensibly in its organization and in its form... One must therefore never expect to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-lamarck/one-must-believe-that-every-living-thing-whatsoever-must-change/) [Jean-Baptiste Lamarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baptiste-lamarck/) > [I think the biggest problem working with me would be that I'm an only child, and so I have an internal dialogue that goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-think-the-biggest-problem-working-with-me-would-be-that-i-m-an-only/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [It is worth noticing that those who assume an imposing demeanor and seek to pass themselves off for something beyond what they are, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/it-is-worth-noticing-that-those-who-assume-an-imposing-demeanor-and/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [People just assume that if you're famous, you're in Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/people-just-assume-that-if-you-re-famous-you-re-in-hollywood/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [The behavior of any bureaucratic organization can best be understood by assuming that it is controlled by a secret cabal of its enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-conquest/the-behavior-of-any-bureaucratic-organization-can-best-be-understood/) [Robert Conquest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-conquest/) > [Humans suffer from self-centred notions as to the nature of life. Humans assume that alien life forms should conform to standards that match our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-perry/humans-suffer-from-self-centred-notions-as-to-the-nature-of-life/) [Steve Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-perry/) > [We can use our art to become political, to become something you want to talk about. We make clothes, but we have the chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-rousteing/we-can-use-our-art-to-become-political-to-become-something-you-want/) [Olivier Rousteing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-rousteing/) > [Everyone seems to assume that the unscrupulous parts of journalism will be the frivolous or jocular parts. This is against all ethical experience. Jokes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/everyone-seems-to-assume-that-the-unscrupulous-parts-of-journalism/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) [Browse all 2,452 Assuming quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assuming/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We should assume that we all have a lot in common. Speak as if our views are the only sensible ones. 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