These JFK Quotes Stand the Test of Time

In September 2024, the Associated Press reported that new video footage had been found of former President John F. Kennedy’s last moments. Apparently, according to the curator of The Sixth Floor Museum, which tells the story of JFK’s assassination, new photographs and footage are found all the time — especially when people are pulling old items out of storage.  The new footage shows JFK’s motorcade speeding down the highway on the way to the hospital after JFK was fatally wounded by Lee Harvey Oswold. While the footage was auctioned off in late-September, the cost it was sold for is not yet known.

JFK’s assassination marked the tragic end of a progressive and inspiring presidency. During his tenure, JFK completed many groundbreaking achievements, from sending someone to the moon and peacefully navigating the Cuban Missile Crisis to setting the stage for significant civil rights improvements. His words inspired, and continue to inspire, generations of political activists who are seeking to transform our world for the better. JFK’s words are especially powerful for people in their 40s. If you’re in your 40s, you’re facing numerous life changes and most likely raising a family. These quotes, which we collected from repositories, quote websites, and historical texts, serve as a powerful support system as you move forward, empowering not only you, but the people you surround yourself with. 

Why Are We Talking About This?

A photo of John Kennedy.

Those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Today, it often seems like life is moving too quickly. It takes immense amounts of time just to keep up with the changes in the world. Plus, after Donald Trump’s recent re-election, many people find it difficult to engage with the news. However, given the increasing polarization of our society, we must pay attention to history and learn from our past. If we want to make positive change in our world, we cannot make the same mistakes that our ancestors did. We need to see what worked and what forces we’re fighting against, and adjust accordingly.

One of the best examples of fighting the good fight is JFK. His quotes are extremely resonant for those of us in our 40s who are facing an uncertain world. We’re not only raising our kids, but looking towards retirement in a few years. JFK reminds us that when the going gets tough, we need to be tougher. 

These 20 JFK quotes stand the test of time, and every 40-year-old needs to hear them: 

1. Let Us Share Together

A photo of John F. Kennedy.

• “Let us not emphasize all on which we differ but all we have in common. Let us consider not what we fear separately but what we share together.”

If you were only looking at the news, you’d probably feel like every Republican is alt-right and every liberal is alt-left. But that’s simply not true. Most Americans fall somewhere in the middle and have more in common than not, with similar goals for our future. Working together is more important now than ever before — so make sure to reach out, even if just in your neighborhood, and try to find ways to cross bridges. 

2. Everyone Should Try

A photo of JFK.

• “One person can make a difference, and everyone should try.”

Have you ever heard the story of the man and the starfish? Someone comes across a beach one day where hundreds upon hundreds of starfish have washed up on the sand. The person notices a man picking starfish up and tossing them back into the sea. When told that he probably won’t make a difference, the man picks up a starfish, throws it into the ocean, and says, “It made a difference for that one.”

We often feel like making a difference requires huge, grandiose effort. But the truth of the matter is, everyone can contribute to change — whether on a familial, commnity, national, or global level. Whether that difference is good or bad is unspecified in this quote. But we’d like to think that JFK was reminding you that your voice matters. So use it. 

3. Our Planet is Vulnerable

An early photo of JFK.

• “The supreme reality of our time is the vulnerability of our planet.”

Did you know that at one time, America was completely united in the cause of fighting climate change and conserving our natural resources? Protecting nature was a goal that most people aligned with, except for big oil corporations. If you’re in your 40s, you might feel disheartened by the worsening climate and increasingly harmful climate disasters. Teach your children to live sustainably and take measures to protect the environment. Remember the last slide? Every step to make a difference counts. 

4. Condemn Oppression

A cool photo of JFK.

• “Tolerance implies no lack of commitment to one’s own beliefs. Rather it condemns the oppression or persecution of others.”

We don’t all have to be the same. We have no need to follow the same path in life, to hold the same beliefs, or to adhere to the rules of a singular religion. But what we do need to be is tolerant of others. We need to live and vote in ways that don’t oppress or persecute people different than us. In today’s online environment, many people seek out echo chambers to justify their own beliefs. Rather than do that, work to hear and understand others and how they feel. 

5. Accept our Responsibility

An older photo of John Kennedy.

• “Let us accept our own responsibility for the future.”

It’s really easy to just blame boomers for all of our problems. Or oil corporations. Or billionaires. While those entities DO hold a lot of responsibility, we are responsible for reshaping the future and correcting course. The current youngest member of Congress, Commons Maxwell Frost, is 26 years old. The older generations of politicians are being voted out, or dying. We are the ones who fill those spots or have great voting power in deciding who fills those spots. Take the time, prior to any elections, to really get to know the people and platforms you’re voting for. 

6. Peace is a Process

A photo of John Kennedy.

• “Peace is a daily, a weekly, a monthly process, gradually changing opinions, slowly eroding old barriers, quietly building new structures. And however undramatic the pursuit of peace, that pursuit must go on.”

We love how manageable this quote makes peace appear. Peace doesn’t have to be dramatic or sexy. It isn’t a singular effort. Participating civically requires consistent effort. It may be boring and unglamorous at times, but by constantly working to reinforce peace in your communities, you are making a change. Find something that you can and like to do – and jump in wholeheartedly. 

7. Every Child Should Have Equal Rights

A photo of his swearing-in ceremony.

• “Not every child has an equal talent or an equal ability or equal motivation, but they should have the equal right to develop their talent and their ability and their motivation, to make something of themselves.”

I think this quote is self-explanatory, but children are the future. Every child deserves stability, education, enough food to eat, and opportunities. If you’re in your 40s and decided to have children, you’re raising the next generation. Make sure they’re kind. And if you’re able to, make a tangible impact in your local school systems by contributing to after school programs or offering internships. Find ways to give back so that children have the space to develop their identity and values. 

8. Our Free Society Should Help the Poor

A photo of John Kennedy.

• “If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.”

Currently, the top 1% of households in America hold 26% of the nation’s wealth, which sits at approximately $37.68 trillion. The top 20% (excluding the top 1%) holds $69.15 trillion. Those two brackets together equal $106.83 trillion. Everyone else in the country (79%) holds only $49.9 trillion. The wealth inequality is so vast in the United States that it is unsustainable. It’s important that we work to improve equity and create a better future for ourselves and our loved ones. 

9. We Cannot Impose Our Will

JFK giving a speech.

• “We must face the fact that the United States is neither omnipotent nor omniscient, that we cannot impose our will upon the other 94 percent of mankind, that we cannot right every wrong or reverse every adversity, and that therefore there cannot be an American solution to every world problem.”

It’s no secret that, in the United States, we tend to be an overly patriotic bunch. Our government is often getting involved with or offering support to other countries, from supplying munitions to Israel to backing up the Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia. JFK believed that we should mind our own business when it comes to foreign affairs, according to this quote.

10. We Have the Power

• “We have the power to make this the best generation of mankind in the history of the world or make it the last.”

Based on current trends, it would seem that JFK’s generation chose the latter, but the quote remains true for every generation. We always have the power to surpass the successes of our predecessors and destroy ourselves through nuclear war or ruining our planet or climate.

11. Forgive Your Enemies

• “Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names.”

Do you ever hold grudges? We know that we definitely do sometimes, even at the expense of our relationships. But JFK reminds us that it’s okay to forgive. Forgiveness doesn’t mean forgetting what happened. It just means letting go of your anger, which is healthier for you in the long run. Even if you forgive your enemies, you can still maintain boundaries, which makes you less vulnerable to others’ attacks. 

12. Most Extraordinary Computer

A photo of John Kennedy.

• “Man is still the most extraordinary computer of all.”

This is especially true today with the advancement of artificial intelligence that seeks to replace human creativity with machine learning. AI takes all the art out of what we do and leaves us with the work and the chores. Tech firms and financial gurus have forgotten the whole reason why we work and create technology: to make life better for everyone, not to steal art from artists and pass it off as your own. JFK reminds us that when we remove the human from any process, it becomes an inhuman, unfeeling, and oppressive machine.

13. Fulfill a Better Life for Others

• “For one true measure of a nation is its success in fulfilling the promise of a better life for each of its members. Let this be the measure of our nation.”

We should measure our success based on how we treat the least of our brethren, not on the odd success of one billionaire. Considering that 11.5% (or 37.9 million Americans) live below the poverty line, by this measure, our nation gets a D+ in our middle-class opinion. The poverty threshold is an annual income of $29,960 for a family of four.

14. Peace is a Human Right

• “And is not peace, in the last analysis, basically a matter of human rights — the right to live out our lives without fear of devastation — the right to breathe air as nature provided it — the right of future generations to a healthy existence?”

It sure is easy to live a healthy life when corporations aren’t polluting the planet, evil rulers aren’t bombing vulnerable populations, and people aren’t facing hunger insecurity and other tragedies. Imagine the Renaissance that could be possible if everyone had their basic needs met, and had extra energy and brain space to create. While this may seem like a goal that’s entirely out of reach, JFK’s words are a reminder that you can advocate for peace at home, in your communities. 

15. Invoke the Wonders of Science

A photo of his funeral.

• “Let both sides seek to invoke the wonders of science instead of its terrors. Together let us explore the stars, conquer the deserts, eradicate disease, tap the ocean depths, and encourage the arts and commerce.”

If this didn’t actually happen, it would sound like science fiction in today’s age. With science denial, misinformation, and fake news everywhere you look, the chances of people coming together in scientific consensus to achieve great things seem like a thing of the past. If only we could put aside our differences and listen to scientists, we might live in a better world. If you’re in your 40s, make sure to teach your children about the beauty of science. Remind them to make their own decisions and do their own research. The world out there is wonderfully fascinating — so encourage them to dive into its scientific brilliance.

16. Put An End to War

A photo of John Kennedy.

• “Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind.”

Unfortunately, war is a part of human existence — although we often question: will humans ever evolve past the need to hit each other with sticks and shoot each other with guns? It is so sad that war is still a global issue. It’s almost unbelievable that it is 2024 and we are still fighting for resources when there is more than enough to go around.

17. Avoid Violent Revolutions

A photo of John Kennedy.

• “Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.”

Protesting, complaining, political rhetoric, and voting are all a necessary and essential part of any healthy democracy. If any party begins to outlaw protesting, voting, or dissent in any kind of way, they open the door to violent revolution, whether they want it or not. There will always be those who disagree, and forcing them to stay quiet only makes the problem worse. Encourage people to practice their democratic rights and use their voices. 

18. The Goal of Education is Knowledge

A photo of John Kennedy during the campaign.

• “The goal of education is the advancement of knowledge and the dissemination of truth.”

Could this be the reason that some politicians want to eradicate our public school system? It is true that ignorant people are easier to manipulate and control. This is why governments and wise societies in the past understood that public education was not only a service benefitting people in general, it was a public necessity for a functioning society. Everyone benefits when everyone has access to education. Never stop educating yourself, either. With resources like open-source classroom lectures and Project Gutenberg for books, you should always find ways to push your thoughts and grow as a person.

19. The Human Mind is a Fundamental Resource

JFK with the Pope.

• “Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education. The human mind is our fundamental resource.”

In our world, education is increasingly important. How can we build a greater country than we have today if we rely on people who are not educated? Education must improve, it must evolve, it must break new ground and teach more people more effectively if we want to continue to progress. Outlawing certain topics, or banning books or areas of study is a sure-fire way to cripple our society.

20. We Must Protect Diversity

• “If we cannot now end our differences, at least we can make the world safe for diversity.”

We will never eliminate all our differences — and we shouldn’t seek to do so, either. Diversity keeps life fun and interesting. Plus, isn’t America called a melting pot for a reason? Forcing others to assimilate to your way of life, or imposing your ideology upon others, destroys the beauty of our world. When we try to force people to not be who they are, we make the planet unsafe for everyone who disagrees. In your 40s, you’re more than likely working with a diverse group of people at work, living near a diverse group of people in your neighborhood, and raising your children to recognize that sometimes our differences can be strengths. Remember to reinforce that our communities are strongest when everyone has a voice, something JFK clearly understood.