---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Persons like you say, ‘I’m an individual…"
description: "\"“Persons like you say, ‘I’m an individual, therefore I oppose any power over me.’ That right there does not follow. How about ‘I’m an individual, there..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ee/robert-peate-23717_identity_persons-like-you-say-i-m-an-individual-t_1519770.jpg"
---

#  Persons like you say, ‘I’m an individual, therefore I…

![“Persons like you say, ‘I’m an individual, therefore I oppose any power over me.’ That right there does not follow. How about ‘I’m an individual, therefore I notice and understand my place in the grand scheme of things’? I’ve heard of persons who don’t feel small in the vastness of Nature or…” quote by Robert Peate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ee/robert-peate-23717_identity_persons-like-you-say-i-m-an-individual-t_1519770.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ee/robert-peate-23717_identity_persons-like-you-say-i-m-an-individual-t_1519770.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ee/robert-peate-23717_identity_persons-like-you-say-i-m-an-individual-t_1519770.jpg)

> ““Persons like you say, ‘I’m an individual, therefore I oppose any power over me.’ That right there does not follow. How about ‘I’m an individual, therefore I notice and understand my place in the grand scheme of things’? I’ve heard of persons who don’t feel small in the vastness of Nature or intimidated by its challenges, and that strikes me as a lack of perspective. If all you can see is yourself, you’re not seeing very far. How about, ‘I’m an individual, therefore I notice and understand that my success depends on others’ success, because we’re all interconnected’? That does not negate my individuality or threaten my freedom. We support each other on a team. Your problem is you don’t know we’re all on the same team, because you’re too busy holding the ball, saying, ‘Mine!’, and not playing the game with good sportsmanship. Yeah, good sportsmanship. Ever heard of that?””

[Robert Peate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-peate/)

## About This Quote

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

Individuality should include awareness of one's role in a larger interconnected system, not selfish isolation.

**In simple terms:** See yourself as part of a team.

Key Takeaway

Embrace interdependence.

Themes

individualism interconnectedness teamwork

Mood

thoughtful inspirational

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- workplace collaboration
- community projects
- environmental activism

Key Concepts

systems thinking humility collective success

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you balance personal freedom with collective responsibility?
- In what ways does teamwork enhance personal growth?

A Different Perspective

Emphasis on individuality may ignore systemic influences.

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[Good sportsmanship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-sportsmanship/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Individuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individuality/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Sportsmanship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sportsmanship/)

## Related quotes

> [Good sportsmanship we hail, we sing, It's always pleasant when you spot it. There's only one unhappy thing: You have to lose to prove…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-armour/good-sportsmanship-we-hail-we-sing-it-s-always-pleasant-when-you-spot/)

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> [Good sportsmanship means treating others with respect. I consider myself a pretty good sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-hilfiger/good-sportsmanship-means-treating-others-with-respect-i-consider/)

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> [I want to show good sportsmanship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jabari-parker/i-want-to-show-good-sportsmanship/)

[Jabari Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jabari-parker/)

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[Major Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/major-taylor/)

> [“It's considered good sportsmanship not to pick up lost golf balls while they are still rolling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/it-s-considered-good-sportsmanship-not-to-pick-up-lost-golf-balls/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [I would rather win than have good sportsmanship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-iverson/i-would-rather-win-than-have-good-sportsmanship/)

[Allen Iverson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-iverson/)

> [Good sportsmanship goes beyond the game; it starts with respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-hilfiger/good-sportsmanship-goes-beyond-the-game-it-starts-with-respect/)

[Tommy Hilfiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-hilfiger/)

> [“But a person, I would say, is an individual living really with the world. And 'with' the world, I don't mean in the world-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-buber/but-a-person-i-would-say-is-an-individual-living-really-with-the/)

[Martin Buber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-buber/)

> [There are lot of people who speak about superstardom, but I'd like to say that it's not about any individual - it's about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajinikanth/there-are-lot-of-people-who-speak-about-superstardom-but-i-d-like-to/)

[Rajinikanth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajinikanth/)

> [“Vanda (as Dunayev): When she becomes herself--an individual. Thomas (as Kushemski): you only say that because you yourself are so individual. Vanda (as Dunayev):…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ives/vanda-as-dunayev-when-she-becomes-herself-an-individual-thomas-as/)

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> [“To the consummate competitor, winning is not the same as beating your opponents. Winning is playing to your absolute best; beating others is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alisa-melekhina/to-the-consummate-competitor-winning-is-not-the-same-as-beating-your/)

Alisa Melekhina

> [A good golfers métier is his or her golfing skill. A great golfers métier is his or her golfing skill, coupled with the mastery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorii-myers/a-good-golfers-m-tier-is-his-or-her-golfing-skill-a-great-golfers-m/)

[Lorii Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorii-myers/)

## More by Robert Peate

> [“I think the purpose of government is for a population to accomplish its mutually agreed-upon goals without every citizen having to accomplish those goals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-peate/i-think-the-purpose-of-government-is-for-a-population-to-accomplish/)

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> [“I provoke thought, because that is what needs provoking. Humanity seems to hate thinking more than any other activity, and yet that is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-peate/i-provoke-thought-because-that-is-what-needs-provoking-humanity-seems/)

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[Robert Peate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-peate/)

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## More Good sportsmanship quotes

> [A good golfers métier is his or her golfing skill. A great golfers métier is his or her golfing skill, coupled with the mastery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorii-myers/a-good-golfers-m-tier-is-his-or-her-golfing-skill-a-great-golfers-m/)

[Lorii Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorii-myers/)

> [I would rather win than have good sportsmanship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-iverson/i-would-rather-win-than-have-good-sportsmanship/)

[Allen Iverson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-iverson/)

> [“It's considered good sportsmanship not to pick up lost golf balls while they are still rolling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/it-s-considered-good-sportsmanship-not-to-pick-up-lost-golf-balls/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [I would advise all youths aspiring to athletic fame or a professional career to practice clean living, fair play and good sportsmanship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/major-taylor/i-would-advise-all-youths-aspiring-to-athletic-fame-or-a-professional/)

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> [I want to show good sportsmanship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jabari-parker/i-want-to-show-good-sportsmanship/)

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> [It's good sportsmanship to not pick up lost golf balls while they are still rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/it-s-good-sportsmanship-to-not-pick-up-lost-golf-balls-while-they-are/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [I wanted to be positive. I have good sportsmanship. You leave everything on a good note, you just smile and shake hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-davis/i-wanted-to-be-positive-i-have-good-sportsmanship-you-leave/)

[Vernon Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-davis/)

> [Good sportsmanship means treating others with respect. I consider myself a pretty good sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-hilfiger/good-sportsmanship-means-treating-others-with-respect-i-consider/)

[Tommy Hilfiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-hilfiger/)

> [Good sportsmanship goes beyond the game; it starts with respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-hilfiger/good-sportsmanship-goes-beyond-the-game-it-starts-with-respect/)

[Tommy Hilfiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-hilfiger/)

> [“What distinguishes a true competitor from a mere participant is that the competitor derives enjoyment from the nature of the competition aside from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alisa-melekhina/what-distinguishes-a-true-competitor-from-a-mere-participant-is-that/)

Alisa Melekhina

> [“A good golfer’s métier is his or her golfing skill. A great golfer’s métier is his or her golfing skill, coupled with the mastery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorii-myers/a-good-golfer-s-m-tier-is-his-or-her-golfing-skill-a-great-golfer-s-m/)

[Lorii Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorii-myers/)

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[Emilie Loring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilie-loring/)

> [Good sportsmanship we hail, we sing, It's always pleasant when you spot it. There's only one unhappy thing: You have to lose to prove…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-armour/good-sportsmanship-we-hail-we-sing-it-s-always-pleasant-when-you-spot/)

[Richard Armour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-armour/)

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