Van Jones Quotes

Today enormous effort goes into convincing the American public that we're just consumers of media manipulation and sound-bites and spin doctors. That we care only about ourselves, money, and stuff. That acting out of passion and conviction doesn't make a difference. But all history shows that it does.

Technology has become our culture

All around us are the consequences of the most significant technological, and hence cultural, revolution in generations

I could do a thousand documentaries on poverty and poor people that would be watched by a handful of the convinced, but I was never really going to have an influence on my times -- (as I might if I develop Sesame Street).

I saw this new thing called television, and I saw people throwing pies in each other's faces, and I thought, 'This could be a wonderful tool for education! Why is it being used this way?' So I said to my parents, 'You know, I don't think I'll go into seminary right away. I think I'll go into television.'

It's rare that you get to be a part of something that, hopefully, has some significance socially or historically.

I've seen how business can transform communities.

Engineers and entrepreneurs are fundamentally dissatisfied with the way the world is and want to make it better. There are so many things you could do with technology if you can match it up with real problems.

When we make these decisions that we're going to commit ourselves to making a difference in the life of one person every single day, what happens is we actually build a whole generation of citizen leaders.

You've got a bunch of kids out here that might not want to be athletes, but they want to learn how to make a difference in their community, and I'm trying to as best I can show an example of that.

If you want to have a big impact, government is the way to do it. Just think of the number of people you can touch.

The challenge is to become part of the struggle, to make a positive difference.

My role is to remind people that everyday people can make a difference. And if we get people out there doing things to make America a better place, we can bring change.

I think you should do in life what you think you'll make a real difference at. And generally, as a businessperson, you do things you don't really have experience in.

I believe that one of the most important things to learn in life is that you can make a difference in your community no matter who you are or where you live.

I want to make a difference with people who want to make a difference, doing something that makes a difference.

I feel that one of the best things a person can do for another is to create a job. So you do OK commercially, and then you try to make a difference of some sort.

The greatest rewards come when you give of yourself. It's about bettering the lives of others, being part of something bigger than yourself, and making a positive difference.

Even if the person doesn't know what the internet can do, we can bring it to them and show how it can make a difference in their lives.

I have a feeling that demonstrations don't accomplish anything. That they become fads. I also feel that demonstrations wouldn't go on unless there is a TV camera. That part of it all is performance for the media. I didn't know whether they are completely honest.

The information age has been driven and dominated by technopreneurs. We now have to apply these technologies in saving lives, improving livelihoods and lifting millions of people out of squalor, misery and suffering. In other words, our focus must now move from the geeks to the meek.

Every single one of us can do something, however small, to make a difference.

I wanted to work on policy because I think it really makes a difference.

In a position to make a difference, politicians and hypocrites they don't wanna listen.

Will you be a spectator or a citizen? To make a difference in this world, you must be involved.