--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We will live with racism for ever. But…" description: "\"We will live with racism for ever. But senses of self, senses of belonging, senses of us and of others? Those are up for grabs.\" — Richard Powers" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/780/richard-powers-8111_belonging_we-will-live-with-racism-for-ever-but-se_173036.jpg" --- # We will live with racism for ever. But senses of self… ![“We will live with racism for ever. But senses of self, senses of belonging, senses of us and of others? Those are up for grabs.” quote by Richard Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/780/richard-powers-8111_belonging_we-will-live-with-racism-for-ever-but-se_173036.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/780/richard-powers-8111_belonging_we-will-live-with-racism-for-ever-but-se_173036.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/780/richard-powers-8111_belonging_we-will-live-with-racism-for-ever-but-se_173036.jpg) > “We will live with racism for ever. But senses of self, senses of belonging, senses of us and of others? Those are up for grabs.” [Richard Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-powers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Racism is enduring, but concepts of identity, belonging, and relational self are fluid and can be reshaped. **In simple terms:** Racism persists, yet our sense of self and belonging can change. Key Takeaway Work to reshape identities and belonging beyond racism. Themes racism identity belonging Mood hopeful serious Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - community building - education reform - personal reflection Key Concepts social change psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What actions can foster inclusive identities? - How do personal narratives influence belonging? A Different Perspective Changing deep‑seated identities is slow and met with resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belonging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belonging/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Sense of self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense-of-self/) ## Related quotes > [In this world we live in, racism is alive and well in all venues. We immediately categorize people, and that's just not right. 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I love the humor, the awareness, the sense of self-deprecation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garance-dore/the-author-i-wish-i-was-reading-right-now-and-always-is-nora-ephron-i/) [Garance Dore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garance-dore/) > [Keep your sense of self; don't get caught up in what people want you to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leann-rimes/keep-your-sense-of-self-don-t-get-caught-up-in-what-people-want-you/) [LeAnn Rimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leann-rimes/) > [The fact that one can lose one's sense of self in an ocean of tranquility does not mean that one's consciousness is immaterial or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/the-fact-that-one-can-lose-one-s-sense-of-self-in-an-ocean-of/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [“Jack was the kind of guy you could take into any situation and he would figure out how to fit in. Wayne, not so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-ballis/jack-was-the-kind-of-guy-you-could-take-into-any-situation-and-he/) [Stacey Ballis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-ballis/) > [Most people spend their entire life imprisoned within the confines of their own thoughts. They never go beyond a narrow, mind-made, personalized sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/most-people-spend-their-entire-life-imprisoned-within-the-confines-of/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“Now I am experiencing the Clear Light of objective reality. Nothing is happening, nothing ever has happened or ever will happen. My present sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/now-i-am-experiencing-the-clear-light-of-objective-reality-nothing-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nothing crushes in the person his sense of self such as him following the common opinions, and be unable to make criticizing positions against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryam-abdullah-alnaymi/nothing-crushes-in-the-person-his-sense-of-self-such-as-him-following/) [Maryam Abdullah Alnaymi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryam-abdullah-alnaymi/) > [“The train slows and lengthens, as we approach London, the centre, and my heart draws out too, in fear, in exaltation. I am about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/the-train-slows-and-lengthens-as-we-approach-london-the-centre-and-my/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [I think that's what makes a successful marriage: a mindful sense of self and the ability to make clear choices to stay together or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goldie-hawn/i-think-that-s-what-makes-a-successful-marriage-a-mindful-sense-of/) [Goldie Hawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goldie-hawn/) > [“The whole purpose of places like Starbucks is for people with no decision-making ability whatsoever to make six decisions just to buy one cup…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/the-whole-purpose-of-places-like-starbucks-is-for-people-with-no/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [“Being held by him, kissed and mastered, taken under and swept away, enthralled her in a way she—an independent woman if nothing else in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-sumner/being-held-by-him-kissed-and-mastered-taken-under-and-swept-away/) [Tracy Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-sumner/) > [The goal of spiritual practice is full recovery, and the only thing you need to recover from is a fractured sense of self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-goal-of-spiritual-practice-is-full-recovery-and-the-only-thing/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) ## More by Richard Powers > [I write the way you might arrange flowers. Not every try works, but each one launches another. Every constraint, even dullness, frees up a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-powers/i-write-the-way-you-might-arrange-flowers-not-every-try-works-but/) [Richard Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-powers/) > [If you're going to immerse yourself in a project for three years, why not stake out a chunk of the world that is completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-powers/if-you-re-going-to-immerse-yourself-in-a-project-for-three-years-why/) [Richard Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-powers/) > [“It seemed to me that half of life’s problems would be solved if one of us had a vagina.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-powers/it-seemed-to-me-that-half-of-life-s-problems-would-be-solved-if-one/) [Richard Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-powers/) > [“Information may travel at light speed, but meaning spreads at the speed of dark.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-powers/information-may-travel-at-light-speed-but-meaning-spreads-at-the/) [Richard Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-powers/) > [Science is not about control. 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The single most useful trick of fiction for our repair and refreshment: the defeat of time. A century…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-powers/time-passes-as-the-novelist-says-the-single-most-useful-trick-of/) [Richard Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-powers/) > [A book is still atemporal. It is you, in silence, hearing voices in your head, unfolding at a time that has nothing to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-powers/a-book-is-still-atemporal-it-is-you-in-silence-hearing-voices-in-your/) [Richard Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-powers/) > [My dream has always been to suspend myself in space when I write, and lying horizontal in bed is the closest to doing that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-powers/my-dream-has-always-been-to-suspend-myself-in-space-when-i-write-and/) [Richard Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-powers/) > [“Je ne fais aucun mal en restant ici. I do no harm by remaining here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-powers/je-ne-fais-aucun-mal-en-restant-ici-i-do-no-harm-by-remaining-here/) [Richard Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-powers/) > [The use of music is to remind us how short a time we have a body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-powers/the-use-of-music-is-to-remind-us-how-short-a-time-we-have-a-body/) [Richard Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-powers/) > [Evil is the refusal to see one's self in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-powers/evil-is-the-refusal-to-see-one-s-self-in-others/) [Richard Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-powers/) [Explore all 84 Richard Powers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-powers/) ## More Belonging quotes > [She might be without country, without nation, but inside her there was still a being that could exist and be free, that could simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-maas/she-might-be-without-country-without-nation-but-inside-her-there-was/) [Sharon Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-maas/) > [I always think the best way of motivating yourself is to put yourself in a situation where you feel like you're belonging to something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-jackson/i-always-think-the-best-way-of-motivating-yourself-is-to-put-yourself/) [Colin Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-jackson/) > [It is a well-settled principle of the international code that where one nation owes another a liquidated debt which it refuses or neglects to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-jackson/it-is-a-well-settled-principle-of-the-international-code-that-where/) [Andrew Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-jackson/) > [The region belonging to the pure intellect is straitened: the imagination labours to extend its territories, to give it room. She sweeps across the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/the-region-belonging-to-the-pure-intellect-is-straitened-the/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [I am convinced that human nature is basically affectionate and good. If our behavior follows our kind and loving nature, immense benefits will result,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/i-am-convinced-that-human-nature-is-basically-affectionate-and-good/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [“The reason “belonging” was so potent, so attractive, so much a part of the human yearning, was that it also meant safety, and loyalty.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/the-reason-belonging-was-so-potent-so-attractive-so-much-a-part-of/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [If some student belonging to weaker section of society suffers distress, humanity says it must be addressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arun-jaitley/if-some-student-belonging-to-weaker-section-of-society-suffers/) [Arun Jaitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arun-jaitley/) > [Connection gives purpose and meaning to our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/connection-gives-purpose-and-meaning-to-our-lives/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [My father was a man of great charity towards the poor, and compassion for the sick, and also for servants; so much so, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-father-was-a-man-of-great-charity-towards-the-poor-and-compassion/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Maybe the problem with the world is, that people are too quick to judge. 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