--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The world is divided by two different…" description: "\"The world is divided by two different tribes. The people who are assholes and the people who are not.\" — Sherman Alexie" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b89/sherman-alexie-444_assholes_the-world-is-divided-by-two-different-tr_2729350.png" --- # The world is divided by two different tribes. The people… ![“The world is divided by two different tribes. The people who are assholes and the people who are not.” quote by Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b89/sherman-alexie-444_assholes_the-world-is-divided-by-two-different-tr_2729350.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b89/sherman-alexie-444_assholes_the-world-is-divided-by-two-different-tr_2729350.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b89/sherman-alexie-444_assholes_the-world-is-divided-by-two-different-tr_2729350.png) > “The world is divided by two different tribes. The people who are assholes and the people who are not.” [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humanity is split into two groups: those who act selfishly and those who act kindly. **In simple terms:** People are either kind or selfish. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge selfish behavior. Themes morality human nature conflict social division Mood critical thoughtful Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - workplace dynamics - community building - personal relationships - social media interaction Key Concepts altruism egoism ethics Questions to Reflect On - How do you define kindness? - Can people change from selfish to kind? A Different Perspective Not all individuals fit neatly into these categories. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Tribes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tribes/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I used to think the world was broken down by tribes,' I said. 'By Black and White. By Indian and White. But I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/i-used-to-think-the-world-was-broken-down-by-tribes-i-said-by-black/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“You hear this kind of thing, rednecks and their guys and--" "Don't call them that," I say. "They're just assholes. Most people you run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/you-hear-this-kind-of-thing-rednecks-and-their-guys-and-don-t-call/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [At Mardi Gras, the different tribes will basically play war games, and so my brother is what you call a Flag Boy, which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-scott/at-mardi-gras-the-different-tribes-will-basically-play-war-games-and/) [Christian Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-scott/) > [Looking at the purpose of our government toward the Indians, we find that after subjugating them it has been our policy to collect the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-a-miles/looking-at-the-purpose-of-our-government-toward-the-indians-we-find/) [Nelson A. Miles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-a-miles/) > [Most people are assholes you just have to find the right asshole who will be nice to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/most-people-are-assholes-you-just-have-to-find-the-right-asshole-who/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [“Our theory is simply this: a person counts as an asshole when, and only when, he systematically allows himself to enjoy special advantages in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-james/our-theory-is-simply-this-a-person-counts-as-an-asshole-when-and-only/) [Aaron James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-james/) > [You know who wears sunglasses inside? Blind people and assholes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-david/you-know-who-wears-sunglasses-inside-blind-people-and-assholes/) [Larry David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-david/) > [“from the poem Holographic Personality Disgrace : Some people are such assholes that saying, "Look, again, I'm sorry I cut off my thumb and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-pink/from-the-poem-holographic-personality-disgrace-some-people-are-such/) [Sam Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-pink/) > [I have no problem today letting people know I'm part of what they live. That's why I know about the things that make people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-dice-clay/i-have-no-problem-today-letting-people-know-i-m-part-of-what-they/) [Andrew Dice Clay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-dice-clay/) > [Few people become assholes reluctantly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-nunberg/few-people-become-assholes-reluctantly/) [Geoffrey Nunberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-nunberg/) > [People are such assholes these days it makes my jaw drop -.-](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience/people-are-such-assholes-these-days-it-makes-my-jaw-drop/) Patience > [I don't need art to tell me people are assholes. I can just go into the streets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etgar-keret/i-don-t-need-art-to-tell-me-people-are-assholes-i-can-just-go-into/) [Etgar Keret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etgar-keret/) > [“Domingo didn’t want to say that everyone was an asshole, but many people are assholes when you’re living in the streets.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silvia-moreno-garcia/domingo-didn-t-want-to-say-that-everyone-was-an-asshole-but-many/) [Silvia Moreno-Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silvia-moreno-garcia/) > [“As if family somehow made you better than someone else? The idea nettled Bitch. Life experience had taught her that it was all too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wildbow/as-if-family-somehow-made-you-better-than-someone-else-the-idea/) wildbow > [“It was as if, from 1967 on, for several years, two different tribes of Americans experienced the same outward events but experienced them as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/godfrey-hodgson/it-was-as-if-from-1967-on-for-several-years-two-different-tribes-of/) Godfrey Hodgson ## More by Sherman Alexie > [“He says the earth is an oval marble that nobody can win. He says the sky is not blue and the grass is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/he-says-the-earth-is-an-oval-marble-that-nobody-can-win-he-says-the/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Now, in the old days, Indians used to be forgiving of any kind of eccentricity. In fact, weird people were often celebrated. Epileptics were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/now-in-the-old-days-indians-used-to-be-forgiving-of-any-kind-of/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [Since Jesus was human then he most assuredly farted and burped. And if God did create us in God's image then God must fart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/since-jesus-was-human-then-he-most-assuredly-farted-and-burped-and-if/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“A century ago she might have been beautiful, her face reflected in the river instead of a mirror. But all the years have changed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/a-century-ago-she-might-have-been-beautiful-her-face-reflected-in-the/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“In all those stories, I could fly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/in-all-those-stories-i-could-fly/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [I don't think there's a whole lot of class literature at all. I think most of that has become racially based, and people don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-whole-lot-of-class-literature-at-all-i-think/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [She wanted to be buried in a coffin filled with used paperbacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/she-wanted-to-be-buried-in-a-coffin-filled-with-used-paperbacks/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Is there really a difference between that killing and this killing? Does God approve of some killing and not other killing? If I kill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/is-there-really-a-difference-between-that-killing-and-this-killing/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Son, things have never been like how you think they used to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/son-things-have-never-been-like-how-you-think-they-used-to-be/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [My parents banned nothing, though the Christian fundamentalists in my tribe held book-and-record burnings every now and again. So, yes, fundamentalist assholes can also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/my-parents-banned-nothing-though-the-christian-fundamentalists-in-my/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Or maybe I could have anesthetized myself with homework and extra credit and binge-reading.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/or-maybe-i-could-have-anesthetized-myself-with-homework-and-extra/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Dear wife, I'm sorry that I am mysteriously incapable of folding clean laundry, but I iron, oh, I iron. Sweetheart, I'll make your white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/dear-wife-i-m-sorry-that-i-am-mysteriously-incapable-of-folding-clean/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Gordy,” I said. “I need to talk to you." "I don't have time," he said. "Mr. Orcutt and I have to debug some PCs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/gordy-i-said-i-need-to-talk-to-you-i-don-t-have-time-he-said-mr/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“The United States wants all of us to forget the crimes it committed against the indigenous. The United States wants us to forget. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/the-united-states-wants-all-of-us-to-forget-the-crimes-it-committed/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [I think that white women are more apt to read laterally. So I think there's some strong identification for women, and their political and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/i-think-that-white-women-are-more-apt-to-read-laterally-so-i-think/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) [Explore all 546 Sherman Alexie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) ## More Assholes quotes > [“Claiming to be offended is a great way to elevate yourself at the expense of others: “Look at me! I'm a much better person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/claiming-to-be-offended-is-a-great-way-to-elevate-yourself-at-the/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [Note To Females: You cant blame the entire male genre just because you were attracted to some assholes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/green-monk/note-to-females-you-cant-blame-the-entire-male-genre-just-because-you/) [Green Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/green-monk/) > [Broken hearts are for assholes, are you an asshole?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/broken-hearts-are-for-assholes-are-you-an-asshole/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [“All men are assholes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-sanchez/all-men-are-assholes/) [Lisa Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-sanchez/) > [“World is so beautiful, but alas! There are so many assholes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/world-is-so-beautiful-but-alas-there-are-so-many-assholes/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [The grumpier you are, the more assholes you meet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/the-grumpier-you-are-the-more-assholes-you-meet/) [Banksy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banksy/) > [“Half the time, people just want to be assholes, so they call it rebellion. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-konen/half-the-time-people-just-want-to-be-assholes-so-they-call-it/) [Leah Konen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-konen/) > [“What a mealy-mouth. Windier than a bag of assholes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-ross/what-a-mealy-mouth-windier-than-a-bag-of-assholes/) [Rodney Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-ross/) > [Excuses are like assholes, everyone has one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author-name/excuses-are-like-assholes-everyone-has-one/) Author Name > [“You hear this kind of thing, rednecks and their guys and--" "Don't call them that," I say. "They're just assholes. Most people you run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/you-hear-this-kind-of-thing-rednecks-and-their-guys-and-don-t-call/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [Guys annoy me so much -.- it's like they study to be an asshole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/guys-annoy-me-so-much-it-s-like-they-study-to-be-an-asshole/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“New Rule: Democrats must get in touch with their inner asshole. I refer to the case of Van Jones, the man the Obama administration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-democrats-must-get-in-touch-with-their-inner-asshole-i-refer/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“People hate it when you call them on jackassery. That's a big fact of human nature: Not a lot of people want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lili-st-crow/people-hate-it-when-you-call-them-on-jackassery-that-s-a-big-fact-of/) [Lili St. Crow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lili-st-crow/) > [“Don't you think she's had her quota of assholes?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/don-t-you-think-she-s-had-her-quota-of-assholes/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) > [Friends are like assholes, everyone's got one but some are more full of shit than other's!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-carrion/friends-are-like-assholes-everyone-s-got-one-but-some-are-more-full/) Diana Carrion Browse all 238 Assholes quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The world is divided by two different tribes. 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