---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The most fundamental change in people at…"
description: "\"“The most fundamental change in people at this time was a weakening of their sense of individual identity; their sense of fate grew correspondingly str..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/834/vasily-grossman-4608_change_the-most-fundamental-change-in-people-at_1366545.jpg"
---

#  The most fundamental change in people at this time was a…

![“The most fundamental change in people at this time was a weakening of their sense of individual identity; their sense of fate grew correspondingly stronger.” quote by Vasily Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/834/vasily-grossman-4608_change_the-most-fundamental-change-in-people-at_1366545.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/834/vasily-grossman-4608_change_the-most-fundamental-change-in-people-at_1366545.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/834/vasily-grossman-4608_change_the-most-fundamental-change-in-people-at_1366545.jpg)

> ““The most fundamental change in people at this time was a weakening of their sense of individual identity; their sense of fate grew correspondingly stronger.””

[Vasily Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vasily-grossman/)

## About This Quote

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

People felt less personal identity and more belief in destiny during turbulent times.

**In simple terms:** Identity weakened, fate strengthened.

Key Takeaway

Recognize how collective narratives shape self‑perception.

Themes

identity fate collective psyche historical change

Mood

reflective somber

Type

philosophical historical

When to use this quote

- war era societies
- political movements
- media influence
- community building

Key Concepts

existentialism social psychology determinism

Questions to Reflect On

- How does collective fate affect personal choices?
- Can identity be reclaimed in a deterministic view?

A Different Perspective

Individual agency may still persist despite dominant narratives.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Fate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fate/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Individual Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual-identity/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

## Related quotes

> [In the past I'd always felt like 'the girl' in the show or the movie. On 'Friday Night Lights' there were a bunch of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-britton/in-the-past-i-d-always-felt-like-the-girl-in-the-show-or-the-movie-on/)

[Connie Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-britton/)

> [When friends enter a home, they sense its personality and character, the family's style of living - these elements make a house come alive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-lauren/when-friends-enter-a-home-they-sense-its-personality-and-character/)

[Ralph Lauren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-lauren/)

> [“Because their identity and sense of self-worth are wrapped up in their work, their security is vulnerable to anything that happens to prevent them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/because-their-identity-and-sense-of-self-worth-are-wrapped-up-in/)

[Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/)

> [I don't think that there is one "authentic" element of American style to identity - it's about a sense of freedom, individuality, and embracing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thakoon-panichgul/i-don-t-think-that-there-is-one-authentic-element-of-american-style/)

[Thakoon Panichgul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thakoon-panichgul/)

> [It's a lot harder to write a story that's compelling about identity and sense of self without some villain in the room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-paige/it-s-a-lot-harder-to-write-a-story-that-s-compelling-about-identity/)

[Peter Paige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-paige/)

> [Who you are, where you've been and what you've done is all up here, captured and preserved in your memories. If you lost that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/who-you-are-where-you-ve-been-and-what-you-ve-done-is-all-up-here/)

[Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/)

> [Battling evil, cruelty, and injustice allows us to retain our identity, a sense of meaning, and ultimately our freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hedges/battling-evil-cruelty-and-injustice-allows-us-to-retain-our-identity/)

[Chris Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hedges/)

> [I've realized that a lot of people come to me because of what's called identity. In the sense of "he's like me" - more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-iyer/i-ve-realized-that-a-lot-of-people-come-to-me-because-of-what-s/)

[Vijay Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-iyer/)

> [“A woman will always be insecure if she attaches her identity and sense of worth to the amount of male attention she gets.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anupama-garg/a-woman-will-always-be-insecure-if-she-attaches-her-identity-and/)

[Anupama Garg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anupama-garg/)

> [“If we get our very identity, our sense of worth, from our political position, then politics is not really about, it is about US.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-we-get-our-very-identity-our-sense-of-worth-from-our-political/)

[Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/)

> [Our attitude toward abortion . . . is fixed by our knowledge that according to an eternal plan all of the spirit children of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallin-h-oaks/our-attitude-toward-abortion-is-fixed-by-our-knowledge-that-according/)

[Dallin H. Oaks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallin-h-oaks/)

> [“Every individual is multicultural; cultures are not monolithic islands but criss-crossed alluvial plains. Individual identity stems from the encounter of multiple collective identities within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tzevtan-todorov/every-individual-is-multicultural-cultures-are-not-monolithic-islands/)

Tzevtan Todorov

> [“In true community, the person is protected. Indeed, a solitary person may take a lonely stand in witnessing to a particular truth. Dissent is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-augsburger/in-true-community-the-person-is-protected-indeed-a-solitary-person/)

[David Augsburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-augsburger/)

> [“Contemplation of the movement and shifting composition of sea-waves is a useful symbolical approach; for, not only are the waves and the sea identical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hoover/contemplation-of-the-movement-and-shifting-composition-of-sea-waves/)

[Thomas Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hoover/)

> [To create value in the world, we must first recognize our own individual identity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/to-create-value-in-the-world-we-must-first-recognize-our-own/)

Senoraroy

## More by Vasily Grossman

> [“When a person dies, they cross over from the realm of freedom to the realm of slavery. Life is freedom, and dying is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vasily-grossman/when-a-person-dies-they-cross-over-from-the-realm-of-freedom-to-the/)

[Vasily Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vasily-grossman/)

> [“Life was terrible. It was as though they could understand, as though they could read in one another’s eyes, that the power which had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vasily-grossman/life-was-terrible-it-was-as-though-they-could-understand-as-though/)

[Vasily Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vasily-grossman/)

> [“She's got legs like a stork, no arse worth speaking of, and great cow-like eyes. call that a woman?' 'You just like big tits',…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vasily-grossman/she-s-got-legs-like-a-stork-no-arse-worth-speaking-of-and-great-cow/)

[Vasily Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vasily-grossman/)

> [“The true champions of a nation's freedom are those who reject the limitations of stereotypes and affirm the rich diversity of human nature to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vasily-grossman/the-true-champions-of-a-nation-s-freedom-are-those-who-reject-the/)

[Vasily Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vasily-grossman/)

> [I don't want you to be young and beautiful. I only want one thing. I want you to be kind-hearted - and not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vasily-grossman/i-don-t-want-you-to-be-young-and-beautiful-i-only-want-one-thing-i/)

[Vasily Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vasily-grossman/)

> [“My faith has been tempered in Hell. My faith has emerged from the flames of the crematoria, from the concrete of the gas chamber.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vasily-grossman/my-faith-has-been-tempered-in-hell-my-faith-has-emerged-from-the/)

[Vasily Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vasily-grossman/)

> [“Another fact that allowed Fascism to gain power over men was their blindness. A man cannot believe that he is about to be destroyed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vasily-grossman/another-fact-that-allowed-fascism-to-gain-power-over-men-was-their/)

[Vasily Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vasily-grossman/)

> [Chekhov said: let's put God - and all these grand progressive ideas - to one side. Let's begin with man; let's be kind and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vasily-grossman/chekhov-said-let-s-put-god-and-all-these-grand-progressive-ideas-to/)

[Vasily Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vasily-grossman/)

> [“Before the war Sofya Levinton had once said to Yevgenia Nikolaevna Shaposhnikova, 'If one man is fated to be killed by another, it would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vasily-grossman/before-the-war-sofya-levinton-had-once-said-to-yevgenia-nikolaevna/)

[Vasily Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vasily-grossman/)

> [“Freedom is the direct opposite of necessity; freedom is necessity overcome.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vasily-grossman/freedom-is-the-direct-opposite-of-necessity-freedom-is-necessity/)

[Vasily Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vasily-grossman/)

> [There's nothing more difficult than saying goodbye to a house where you've suffered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vasily-grossman/there-s-nothing-more-difficult-than-saying-goodbye-to-a-house-where/)

[Vasily Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vasily-grossman/)

> [“The travelers emerged into a spacious square. In the middle of this square were several dozen people on a wooden bandstand like in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vasily-grossman/the-travelers-emerged-into-a-spacious-square-in-the-middle-of-this/)

[Vasily Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vasily-grossman/)

> [“Among a million Russian huts you will never find even two that are exactly the same. Everything that lives is unique. It is unimaginable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vasily-grossman/among-a-million-russian-huts-you-will-never-find-even-two-that-are/)

[Vasily Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vasily-grossman/)

> [“Don't you remember how you once answered a question of mine? Me - I shall never forget your words. Those words of yours opened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vasily-grossman/don-t-you-remember-how-you-once-answered-a-question-of-mine-me-i/)

[Vasily Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vasily-grossman/)

> [“Perhaps you’ve read Tolstoy’s Hadji Mourat? Perhaps you’ve read The Cossacks? Perhaps you’ve read the story “A Prisoner in the Caucasus”? They were written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vasily-grossman/perhaps-you-ve-read-tolstoy-s-hadji-mourat-perhaps-you-ve-read-the/)

[Vasily Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vasily-grossman/)

[Explore all 101 Vasily Grossman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vasily-grossman/)

## More Change quotes

> [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/)

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

> [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/)

[Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/)

> [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/)

Phil Hogan

> [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/)

[William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/)

> [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/)

[Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/)

> [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/)

[Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/)

> [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/)

[Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/)

> [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/)

[Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/)

> [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/)

[Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/)

> [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/)

[Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/)

> [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/)

[Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/)

> [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/)

[Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/)

> [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/)

[Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/)

[Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“The most fundamental change in people at this time was a weakening of their sense of individual identity; their sense of fate grew correspondingly stronger.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Vasily Grossman"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vasily-grossman/the-most-fundamental-change-in-people-at-this-time-was-a-weakening-of/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Change"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vasily-grossman/the-most-fundamental-change-in-people-at-this-time-was-a-weakening-of/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/834/vasily-grossman-4608_change_the-most-fundamental-change-in-people-at_1366545.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/834/vasily-grossman-4608_change_the-most-fundamental-change-in-people-at_1366545.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/834/vasily-grossman-4608_change_the-most-fundamental-change-in-people-at_1366545.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The most fundamental change in people at this time was a weakening of their sense of individual identity…” — Vasily Grossman",
                "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": "Vasily Grossman",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vasily-grossman/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“The most fundamental change in people...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vasily-grossman/the-most-fundamental-change-in-people-at-this-time-was-a-weakening-of/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vasily-grossman/the-most-fundamental-change-in-people-at-this-time-was-a-weakening-of/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
