I need to better understand the meaning behind this quote.?

Question

“Some people see things that are, and say why? I see things that never were and say why not,” stated by Robert Kennedy.

After learning a whole year about "The American Dream," I must relate this to The American Dream. I believe that the second part of the quote means that if people didn't think why not and set goals to achieve there would be no American Dream. What I don't understand is the beginning of the quote.

Answer 1

I hope this quote will answer your dilemma:


"Hope
always
draws the soul
from the
beauty
that is seen
to what
is beyond,
always kindles
the desire
for the hidden
through
what is perceived."

-- St. Gregory of Nyssa


The insight of the first part of the quote is primarily about the CONCEPT OF CHANGE. People see things as they are and, stagnant as these things may be, they say "why change it?"

Kennedy, in turn, saw the "desire for the hidden through what is perceived" in saying that "why not?"

I hope this helps. God Bless!

Answer 2

I I believe the first part of the quotation refers to people who
do not accept things at face value but seek, instead, to
validate the premise or action or whatever is in question.

The second part refers to those who are properly described
as "visionaries"----those who discern or imagine a need and
set about finding a solution. For example, someone like
Thomas Edison or Alexander Graham Bell or Albert
Einstein, etc, etc.

I don't believe the quotation is meant to convey that the 1st
group is bad -- it's just meant to show the difference which is:

some (most) people are curious about existing things but
there are v ery few, very select, people who advance
civilization by pursuing their dreams and bringing them to
fruition.

Answer 3

It is important to understand how things really are, and how things really are is frequently buried under politics and policy, fears, and capitalism. So it is important to seek the truth and understand what is going on in the world. That is the first part. As you said, the second part involves doing something about it, not just shaking your head and saying "This is too bad." One must lead to the other if any good is to be done.

Answer 4

It has nothing to do with the American Dream. Robert Kennedy wanted to accomplish things in government that others thought impossible, and didn't let that deter him.
Ordinary thinking reverses his idealism by questioning things that already are in place--going at change from the top down, so to speak, by tearing down. He wanted to build from the bottom up.

Answer 5

Perhaps it is describing how some people view the world. Some people see things that already exist and ask why and that's it. They don't try to change it, improve upon it, wonder why it is the way it is etc. Then there are others that see things in their minds that don't currently exist and they aren't afraid to ask why not and go for it.

Answer 6

I guess Robert Kennedy tried to say that he seen things that no one perhaps seen and ask a question why not tell it. Do you think that perhaps this is what prohibited to the assignation?

Answer 7

The first part refers to seeing things that are 'negatives', for example:

Poverty
Slavery
Illiteracy
etc.

Answer 8

It means that people question things that exist, and he sees things that never existed, and question why they havn't existed(if there was a flaw, or if people were too blind to see it before)