--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Being attentive to the things that add…" description: "\"Being attentive to the things that add meaning to our lives alongside politics will help us inform our politics with the values that really do make Ame..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cda/pete-buttigieg-3683_america_being-attentive-to-the-things-that-add-m_890122.jpg" --- # Being attentive to the things that add meaning to our… ![“Being attentive to the things that add meaning to our lives alongside politics will help us inform our politics with the values that really do make America great.” quote by Pete Buttigieg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cda/pete-buttigieg-3683_america_being-attentive-to-the-things-that-add-m_890122.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cda/pete-buttigieg-3683_america_being-attentive-to-the-things-that-add-m_890122.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cda/pete-buttigieg-3683_america_being-attentive-to-the-things-that-add-m_890122.jpg) > “Being attentive to the things that add meaning to our lives alongside politics will help us inform our politics with the values that really do make America great.” [Pete Buttigieg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-buttigieg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Integrating personal values with policy leads to politics that reflect what truly matters. **In simple terms:** Values guide politics. Key Takeaway Align policies with core values. Themes values politics national identity civic engagement Mood reflective inspirational Type political ethical When to use this quote - family discussions - community organizing - policy drafting - voting decisions Key Concepts ethical alignment public service Questions to Reflect On - How can you translate personal values into concrete policy? - What values should prioritize in national discourse? A Different Perspective Personal values may conflict with party platforms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [I am afraid of what is happening in the West. In a way, the link between art and politics is about to snap. Music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moddi/i-am-afraid-of-what-is-happening-in-the-west-in-a-way-the-link/) [Moddi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moddi/) > [Democracy or politics done without values and ideals is dangerous for the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-adityanath/democracy-or-politics-done-without-values-and-ideals-is-dangerous-for/) [Yogi Adityanath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-adityanath/) > [The BJP has decided that politics is for values and ideals, and for this, an age limit has been decided. I think that for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-adityanath/the-bjp-has-decided-that-politics-is-for-values-and-ideals-and-for/) [Yogi Adityanath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-adityanath/) > [Those of us who work in politics can only make ourselves useful if our heads are filled with things that we can contribute to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-buttigieg/those-of-us-who-work-in-politics-can-only-make-ourselves-useful-if-2/) Peter Buttigieg > [I think values are really, really important, but I also think that too many values are just words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/i-think-values-are-really-really-important-but-i-also-think-that-too/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) > [Don't labor forever over the question of how or if you can do it. Studies have shown that the most successful people make decisions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/don-t-labor-forever-over-the-question-of-how-or-if-you-can-do-it/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [My family values are really, really important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayesha-curry/my-family-values-are-really-really-important/) [Ayesha Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayesha-curry/) > [When you look at human rights, look at gender, and the rights of girls for education in the world - that are crucial issues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-guterres/when-you-look-at-human-rights-look-at-gender-and-the-rights-of-girls/) [Antonio Guterres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-guterres/) > [America has done a great job making brutally fast, stripped-down cars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/america-has-done-a-great-job-making-brutally-fast-stripped-down-cars/) [Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/) > [If you want real change, if you want a stronger America at home and abroad and an America that cherishes our highest ideals, head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/if-you-want-real-change-if-you-want-a-stronger-america-at-home-and/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [It is part of what makes America great. That tradition of the free press, and also the tradition of this highly competitive market for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-h-winters/it-is-part-of-what-makes-america-great-that-tradition-of-the-free/) [Ben H. Winters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-h-winters/) > [America is a great country, but you can't live in it for nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/america-is-a-great-country-but-you-can-t-live-in-it-for-nothing/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [I'm going to make America great again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-going-to-make-america-great-again/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [What's good for America is great for Montana.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-rosendale/what-s-good-for-america-is-great-for-montana/) [Matt Rosendale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-rosendale/) > [So in our shared mission to make America great again, I support and endorse our Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/so-in-our-shared-mission-to-make-america-great-again-i-support-and/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) ## More by Pete Buttigieg > [The challenge in confronting Trump is that there are certain things that he does that that you have to respond to, just morally. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-buttigieg/the-challenge-in-confronting-trump-is-that-there-are-certain-things/) [Pete Buttigieg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-buttigieg/) > [I think there's an opportunity hopefully for religion to be not so much used as a cudgel but invoked as a way of calling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-buttigieg/i-think-there-s-an-opportunity-hopefully-for-religion-to-be-not-so/) [Pete Buttigieg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-buttigieg/) > [I think people are just puzzled by why people where I'm from make the political choices sometimes that they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-buttigieg/i-think-people-are-just-puzzled-by-why-people-where-i-m-from-make-the/) [Pete Buttigieg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-buttigieg/) > [Presidents going live from the Oval Office have used that platform to inform the American public, and also to do one of the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-buttigieg/presidents-going-live-from-the-oval-office-have-used-that-platform-to/) [Pete Buttigieg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-buttigieg/) > [Most people have trouble pronouncing my name, so they just call me 'Mayor Pete.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-buttigieg/most-people-have-trouble-pronouncing-my-name-so-they-just-call-me/) [Pete Buttigieg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-buttigieg/) > [Greatness will come by looking forward - untethered from the politics of the past and anchored by our shared values - and by changing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-buttigieg/greatness-will-come-by-looking-forward-untethered-from-the-politics/) [Pete Buttigieg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-buttigieg/) > [As a mayor, my instinct is to really think about how to get something done and not to make the promise unless you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-buttigieg/as-a-mayor-my-instinct-is-to-really-think-about-how-to-get-something/) [Pete Buttigieg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-buttigieg/) > [You're not free if you can't marry the person you love because a county clerk is imposing his or her interpretation of religion on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-buttigieg/you-re-not-free-if-you-can-t-marry-the-person-you-love-because-a/) [Pete Buttigieg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-buttigieg/) > [That really important freedom in my life, the freedom to marry, came about because of choices that were made by policymakers who had power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-buttigieg/that-really-important-freedom-in-my-life-the-freedom-to-marry-came/) [Pete Buttigieg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-buttigieg/) > [To me, what's really important about the Green New Deal isn't, like, one of the elements of it: it's the concept. It's the concept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-buttigieg/to-me-what-s-really-important-about-the-green-new-deal-isn-t-like-one/) [Pete Buttigieg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-buttigieg/) > [I am not skilled enough or energetic enough to craft a persona. I just have to be who I am and hope people like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-buttigieg/i-am-not-skilled-enough-or-energetic-enough-to-craft-a-persona-i-just/) [Pete Buttigieg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-buttigieg/) > [Being gay isn't something you choose, but you do face choices about whether and how to discuss it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-buttigieg/being-gay-isn-t-something-you-choose-but-you-do-face-choices-about/) [Pete Buttigieg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-buttigieg/) > [We need to intentionally invest in health, in home ownership, in entrepreneurship, in access to democracy, in economic empowerment. If we don't do these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-buttigieg/we-need-to-intentionally-invest-in-health-in-home-ownership-in/) [Pete Buttigieg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-buttigieg/) > [There's a lot to be said for expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-buttigieg/there-s-a-lot-to-be-said-for-expanding-the-earned-income-tax-credit/) [Pete Buttigieg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-buttigieg/) > [Safety and security are the most basic job of government. I understand that - both as a mayor who works every day to secure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-buttigieg/safety-and-security-are-the-most-basic-job-of-government-i-understand/) [Pete Buttigieg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-buttigieg/) [Explore all 124 Pete Buttigieg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-buttigieg/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Being attentive to the things that add meaning to our lives alongside politics will help us inform our politics with the values that really do make America great.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Pete Buttigieg" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-buttigieg/being-attentive-to-the-things-that-add-meaning-to-our-lives-alongside/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-buttigieg/being-attentive-to-the-things-that-add-meaning-to-our-lives-alongside/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cda/pete-buttigieg-3683_america_being-attentive-to-the-things-that-add-m_890122.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cda/pete-buttigieg-3683_america_being-attentive-to-the-things-that-add-m_890122.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cda/pete-buttigieg-3683_america_being-attentive-to-the-things-that-add-m_890122.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Being attentive to the things that add meaning to our lives alongside politics will help us inform our…” — Pete Buttigieg", "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": "Pete Buttigieg", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-buttigieg/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Being attentive to the things that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-buttigieg/being-attentive-to-the-things-that-add-meaning-to-our-lives-alongside/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-buttigieg/being-attentive-to-the-things-that-add-meaning-to-our-lives-alongside/#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 } } ] } ```